Bent but not Broken
by Neputola
Summary: Takes place 18 months after Lubbock's death. The revolutionary army is in shambles as the empire is finally quelling the rebellion. Tatsumi is living under Esdeath's protection, having accepted her offer back then. Trying to destroy the empire from the inside by sectretly sowing seeds of internal conflict while hiding behind it's strongest general. Rated M for gore,lemons,violence.
1. Prologue

**Foreword**

**I began writing this as a consolation for Esdeath's failed attempt at love. Simply wanting to create a scenario where it all worked out. However the story grew in the telling into something much bigger that I actually started to enjoy writing about.**

**Some warnings: **

**The story will have some OCs but they are mainly there to help the plot move forward or act as extras. Some of their roles might be bigger than others but they are only there to keep the wheels turning.**

**This also features a bit more shrewd and darker version of Tatsumi. What has brought on this change will be explained as the story goes on as well as everything that has happened during the last 18 months.**

**To warn that an AGK story will contain violence and gore feels redundant but this will also contain sexual themes(lemons). Though not in a too gratuitous sense. I hope.**

**This will be completly based on the manga.**

**Ok? Ok! On with the show!**

* * *

><p><strong>Prologue<strong>

The huge doors to the giant hall opened up and almost all the heads in the room turned as the guards announced Esdeath's arrival to the meeting.

The giant beautiful hall was filled with people. Half were warriors and agents,lined up in a long rows. Waiting for their names or cases to be called out. Some of them had dusty and damaged uniforms and cloaks. Attesting that they were newly arrived from the field. Others were bandaged up or wounded from recent battles. While some of them didn't even have single speck of dust on their clothes.

The other half was nobles and politicians who had come to watch the event. To see if any of their investments had payed off or if there were some new talents or prodigies they needed to keep an eye out for on the political field in the future. And some had only come to see if they have won bets about the diffrent warriors successes.

As Esdeath strode through the hall many nobles and politicians came forth to congratulate her on recent victories or praise her evergrowing power and influnence in the empire. Wishing to secure some goodwill with the empires strongest general. She payed them little mind though. Giving the slightest of nods to a few and outright ignoring the rest. She had much more competent and powerful people who would lick her boots for her if she so desired. Both literally and metaphorically. Her mood was already bad as it was even without the annoyance of their yapping mouths.

She headed straight for the end of the hall where a podium had been raised. With an old extravagant table and four huge armchairs on top of it. Two of the chairs at this table were empty and the other two were occupied by a minister of internal affairs, an old man with glasses and long white hair, and great general Budo. One of the empty chairs was intended for her but she didn't know who the last empty chair belonged to.

Esdeath couldn't for the life of her understand why she had to be here in the first place.

This was a cermony to reward agents,warriors and soldiers who had been given special missions outside of standard army practices. As per standard, a minister and the great general was there to listen to the reports from those who had returned and measure out suiting rewards depending on the success of the mission given.  
>It was also standard to have another two randomly selected higher-ups from the military present, to show respect to the successful people who had returned.<p>

But why, in heaven's name, had she been called in for this! She was the biggest military resource the empire had. She should be hunting the revolutionary army or leading campaigns against foreign forces. Not sitting here and listening to how these far less capable people bragged on about their achievements. To her it seemed to be such a huge waste of resources to have her do something this mundane.

And so gnawingly, soul-crushingly boring.

Yet she was still a general of the empire and certain things were expected of her. She had to accept that, she reminded herself.

She sighed as she walked up on the podium with her hands on her hips. She gave the minister and the great general a court nod before sitting down beside them. She had just started to lean back in the chair when the guards announced the arrival of yet another general.

Esdeath rolled her eyes. Now this was just getting silly. Three generals and a minister gathering together... Just to watch these mongrels get their meager rewards.

From her chair she watched the last general make his way towards the podium. He was a tall man in his later twenties with messy dark brown hair that reached down a bit past his shoulders. With long grey streaks in it. His eyes seemed very tired but he still gave of an perceptive aura. She knew him from the times she was still not high in the military ranks. They had both become generals at about the same time.

Though he had directly been sent off to the western borders of the empire to lead the fight against foreign forces.

He had gained a lot of fame in recent months, Esdeath recalled. His army had recently lost all their supply lines when the enemy forces managed to outmanouver them. In most scenarios concerning huge forces such a blunder would mean an orderly retreat until those supply lines where re-established.

However the general in question had not opted for that. Instead he had forced his army outside the empire's borders ,into the hostile lands. Sustaining his forces by pillaging ,looting and detroying the foreign soil and it's inhabitants. In the end, the opposing force had to retreat back from the empire's borders to defend their native land from the imperial army. Which by that time had set half of said land aflame.

And when they started to set up defensive positions in their own lands,the imperial army could easily march back into the empire. The threat neutralized. The enemy who had produced it damaged so bad it would take generations to build back what they had lost.

He had returned to the capital from this campaign just some weeks ago. He had replaced most of his tattered and torn uniform but had chosen to keep the longcoat which was the insignia of their rank. The now dusty and destroyed longcoat made him look like he had been living in the wild for a couple of years.

The nobles and officers frowned at the ragged appearance of the general but Esdeath did not care. She had never disliked people that flaunted their achievments as long as their efforts were commendable. Esdeath could respect the ruthlessness this man had displayed. Unlike the rabble she would have to listen to in the coming hours.

The great general and the old minister seemed to be busy discussing the list of people attending so Esdeath took it upon herself to welcome the last general to arrive.

"So they got you too, general Makeias" she said as she looked over to him with a bitter smile as he walked up on the podium.

"Ok, why the FUCK are you here Esdeath?" general Makeias exclaimed tiredly while gesturing with an open hand in her direction. Esdeath simply closed her eyes and shrugged in response.

"I understand that they maybe happened to summon one field-general but two at the same time? When there is only five of us in the entire empire. Senseless." he sighed and sat down in the last chair by her left side. "Oh well, maybe they wanted the soldiers to have something beautiful to look at while they recieve their rewards.

"You do know how to charm a girl." Esdeath said bitterly. "And I suppose you were only summoned here to annoy the noblemen with you fashion sense."

"What are you talking about? I am obviously the beauty here. You were only called here to scare the soldiers of what they might become if they are to ambitious." Makeias joked and smiled. Esdeath chuckled and decided to reward him with a warmer smile. He was one of the few people in the capital which she could have a little more playful banter with.

Most of her followers or subordinates were far to fearful of saying the wrong thing or offending her in some way. So she usually enjoyed general Makeias company.

Altough she had a feeling that she might have to show him his place in the future since he sometimes pushed his luck a little bit too far with her. General ranking or not. But that could be quite a fun activity as well, when the time came.

"Though I swear to you. Someone,somewhere is fucking with us. This is just too idiotic to be a coincidence." Makeias continued while leaning back into the armchair. "Can you think of any reason why people would resent you?"

"Nope." Esdeath said with exaggerated and hollow sweetness."Can't think of any reason at all."

"Yeah, neither can I." The other general laughed. "Jokes aside though, I have heard rumors that the torture chambers have been unusually barbaric these past two weeks. I heard that someone had abandonned all kind of delicacy in her punishments in favor for raw brutal force. I heard that it seems that _someone_ has been quite frustrated these last two fourteen days." He smiled at her.

"It seems like you hear a lot of things." Esdeath said dryly. He was starting to tread on thin ice again. However, it was fun to see just how far he dared to go. It would also be quite enjoyable if he choose to push her to far and give her a reason to subdue him, Esdeath thought.

"And I guess a general who disregards all protocol and orders he received just to rape, pillage and burn a foreign country in order cover up for his own mistake only has well-wishes coming his way?"

She saw how his smile faded a little bit and knew she had hit a good spot. "I mean you did only lose about half of the forces you were put in charge of. **I heard.**"

This time it was the other generals turn to smile and shrug. "Harsh times,Harsh measure. So on and so forth. And I lost closer to a third of my army, by the way."

Esdeath was about to turn the verbal knife around in his wound but she was cut short as the booming voice of great general Budo echoed in the hall. " The procedure will now begin. Step forth and give your reports when your cases are called."

Esdeath leaned back into the chair. Consigning herself to the boredom to come.

"Case number one. Step forth." the old minister called out.

* * *

><p>Two hours and seventy three awarded soldiers later and Esdeath felt how her grip on sanity was starting to leave her.<p>

She could weather any storm nature could muster. There was no creature alive that she could not subdue. Scorching sun or freezing night did not even bother her. Even pain could be a sweet thing to her. In the right circumstances. But this, this was more than she could bear.

This was so goddam boring!

The proud general was slouched forward over the table. Her head resting in her left hand while her right slowly tapped the table with it's fingers. She and Makeias were both mainly field-generals so they had little to do with these tasks and thus had nothing to do but sit there and wait. She couldn't even pretend to be interested in how these weaklings patted each other on the back anymore.

Esdeath was fully convinced that if there was a hell waiting for her, it would be something like this. She would rather write a thousand battle reports than sit her for the rest of the day. If someone indeed was playing a prank on her, they best pray that she doesn't find them. She was even starting to consider to ask the prime minister about who was responsible of this farce.

To top it all of, she was also pretty sure that her fellow general had managed to fall asleep with his eyes open. His breathing had become extremly steady and she could tell that his heartbeats had slowed down. He had also been staring at the same spot on the opposite wall for about thirty minutes.

Quite an astounding feat actually. But he will pay for his dessertion!, Esdeath thought as she started to cast glances at his right leg. Either the knee or the foot. She wanted his pain to last a bit so she was debating wich one was the best alternative. Considering that they would both reamain seated for a couple more hours.

Her violent undertakings was however disrupted before they even begun.

"Next" the dry voice of the old minister called out. "Case number seventy four, step forward."

"Yes, sir!"

That voice!  
>Esdeath straightened up so fast that she made the other general jump a couple of centimeter up in his chair. Thinking that her superior instincts had percieved an incoming attack. But to his wonder, Esdeaths eyes were glued to the young man who had just stepped forward. The boy had brown hair and a very slight stubble from being on the road for a while, he wore a dusty coat and had a mid sized sword strapped horizontally on his back. Makeias didn't understand what was going on.<p>

Esdeath however, was screaming internally. Finally! Suddenly twenty two days of pent-up frustration,aching and longing came bubbling up in her. Why had she allowed him to go on such a long mission?! She must have been stricken with a fit of madness when she finally choose to grant her lovers request. He had begged her for it for almost a month but now she knew that he would have to grovel and beg for years before she would allow him to be away from her for so long again.

Her longing rampantly turned into lust and her predatory instincts raged inside of her. Screaming for her to kick over the extravagant table and tackle the young man before he could even react. And then _claim_ him right then and there . Daring anyone in the court to try and stop the vulgar display of her dominating love.

As this storm of thoughts raged on inside of her, the ice queen still kept a calm and collected exterior. Her slightly more labored breathing only detectable to the most perceptive of watchers.

"Name and rank, soldier." The Great general demanded.

"Tatsumi of the jaegers, sir." The young man responded with gusto.

"Ahhh" general Makeias said as he now started to understand the situation. A sly smile spreading across his face. So that is the one, he thought.

"I must admit that I expected him to be a bit.. diffrent." He said and looked over to Esdeath. She didn't even favor him with a glance. Tatsumi now had her undivided attention. The other general was nothing more than an annoyance for the time being.

"Special forces then." The minister said rhetorically and started to flip through his papers.

"Report,jaeger" The great general ordered.

"I arrived to the capital this morning. My mission was a complete success." Tatsumi proudly announced.

Arrived this morning!, Esdeath raged in her head. Why didn't you come to me the first thing you did? Why did you wait to stand in line with this rabble when you knew I was waiting for you. I could have spared you from this boredom. And how dare you make me face this loneliness for half a day more than necessary?! She would make him pay for that tonight when s_he took what was hers_.

Esdeath closed her right hand which had been laying on the table since she heard Tatsumis voice. Her nails carving deep scars in the old wood as she did.

"Well, according to the archieves, you were given this mission directly by general Esdeath" The old minister said while reading from one of his papers. "All rewards and promotions are to be stipulated at her discreation."

Tatsumi finally turned his eyes to Esdeath. He felt how he started to sweat. It had been hard to not notice how she had stared at him from the start. He could almost feel her gaze piercing him. Those beautifull eyes now fillled with hunger. However, he had also noted that she had not smiled at him since he stepped forth. Was she angry at him? Had she managed to uncover something in his absence? He swallowed and forced down his instincts to flee. All or nothing,he thought as he smiled the most genuine smile he could muster.

"I have returned to you, general Esdeath!" He said with hollow self-confidence.

He saw her nostrils flare and he almost felt his heart stop for a moment. Then she smiled her most uncharacteristically gentle smile.

"I'm very pleased to see you return successfully, Tatsumi. Be in the jaeger's quarters when this assemby is done and I will personally... debrief you."

Tatsumi could swear that her smile had a slight change of character towards the end of that order.

"Yes, general!" He exclaimed as he saluted the people at the table.

"Dissmissed." The great general announced with a wave of his hand.

Tatsumi immediately turned on his heels and marched out of the great hall. While the noblemen and politicians whispered and pointed at his back. During the eighteen months he had been in Esdeath's "service" he had gained quite a mixed reputation.

In the beginning of his time with the jaegers most of the military had assumed he was just another one of Esdeath's pets. Another toy she would play with until it broke. Then to be discarded without a second thought while she started looking for her next plaything. It was nothing new. The fact that she took him with her everywhere she went didn't help.

Having lost him two times already Esdeath had been absolutely determined to not let him out of her sight. Especially since she regarded his defection to Night raid and the revolutionary army to be a direct result of letting him escape her clutches. She was convinced that if he had not escaped she could have perished his foolish ideals from him before he had gone and made the whole situation so much more troublesome. So no matter if she was leading military campaigns, directing the jaegers or scaring away political oppositions, Tatsumi had been forced to always be in her direct presence. It had taken almost 5 months until she even allowed him to go more than a hundred meters from her.

His reputation as her latest toy was somewhat diminished later on. When an officer made the mistake of treating Tatsumi as a regular footsoldier. He had been given a menial task of fetching a couple of maps from a drawer at a meeting Esdeath was attending. Tatsumi had then happened to pick the wrong set of maps and the officer had slapped him across the face and screamed at him when he arrived with the maps to the table. Unfortunetly for the man, Esdeath had been standing right at the other side of the table when he choose to dicipline what he thought to be a simple subordinate.

She had allowed the officer to keep his rank. If only so that he could serve as an example. The doctors said that he would be limping on his right leg for the rest of his life and all the best dentist of the empire had not been able to fix his teeth and jaw back to presentable condition. Nowadays, the man rarely smiled since he didn't want to expose the splinters that now were his teeth and his diet mainly consisted of soups and other soft dishes. A shell of what he once was.

Esdeath had intended to leave him in a much more deformed state but Tatsumi had managed to stop it by begging her while he tried to cling to the hand that was adminstring the punishment. Horrified by the unproportionate response a meager slap across his face had begotten the officer. The fact that the room had been full of military personnel that didn't even say a word to try and stop her disgusted him. It also made him realize just how careful he has to be with his position. It didn't help with Tatumi's remorse when he later received a letter from said officer, thanking him for reducing his punishment.

That incident had gotten somewhat well known and after that most parts of the military had started to stay far away from him. The higher-ups kept their reservations about the former Night raid member though. Spearheaded by the great general Budo who took every chance he could to denounce Esdeath's partner as untrustworthy.

So the rumors about him were a bit more varied these days and the noblemen seemed to have quite a lot of diffrent opinions on him. Few of them charming. But he didn't care at all. He kept his back straight as he walked out through the great doors.

Esdeath watched her lover leave the great hall and listened with pride to the noblemen's whisperings. It was the same treatment she had recieved when she rose to power and she couldn't wait to see Tatsumi reach the same heights.

"Case number seventyfive, step forward." The old minister called out.

And now back to this hell. Esdeath thought. At least now,she had something to look forward to after this monotonous meeting. She closed her eyes and leaned back into the huge chair with a blissfull sigh. Fantasizing about all the things she would do to her Tatsumi when this was over.

She didn't even notice that the general beside her was watching her with a rather sly grin. Intresting, thought Makeias. Very intresting. I will have to arrange a meeting with this Tatsumi later. He then returned to staring at the wall on the opposite side of the hall. Slowly, mentally lulling himself back to a more trance like state.

* * *

><p>Tatsumi heaved a huge sigh as waves of relief washed over him when he walked out into the huge corridor outside the hall. It seemed that no one had discovered any of the preparations while he was gone. He thought he had seen hints of anger in Esdeaths face but he might have been mistaken. Or at least she hadn't found out anything too grave. This meant that everything was proceeding smoothly.<p>

He started to walk towards the jaeger quarters. Looking forward for a chance to meet with Wave again. The people he met along the walk saluting him. Even if the opinion on him within the empire differed quite a bit,his status as a jaeger had become universally accepted. And that rank granted him a big deal of authority.

He stretched his shoulders as he strolled through the castle halls. His whole body was sore since his journey but if no one had realized what he had actually been doing during these last three weeks then it was all worth it.

When Esdeath finally granted his request he had already been preparing and planning what to do during these weeks for almost four months. He knew that he could only remain away from the capital for so long before his absence would start to get attention. He had finished the mission Esdeath had given him in three days. After that it had been a really busy time. Now it was all done though. Almost all of the preperations were done. Soon he could start a plan that had been eighteen months in the making.

He would be more excited about it if he wasn't so damn tired. This past weeks had taken their toll on his sleep and he had been working non-stop. He just wanted to go to Esdeaths room,crawl up into her huge bed and sleep. If the aura Esdeath had emitted during his report was any indicator though, he would not be able to get any sleep for some time still.

He was actually a bit worried about that. He had been away from her for almost two weeks at earlier occasions and everytime their reunions had put quite a strain on him. He also usually received rather generous amounts of pain. This time he had been gone for almost twenty two days and he was not exactly at the pinnacle of his physical condition right now.

He needed to find a way to soften the impact of her love this time or the entire castle would hear his screams. He didn't know if his dignity could survive that again. He had learned how to work around most of her diffrent... dispositions. Though if she really put her mind to something it was still hard for him to put up any worthwhile resistance against her. He feared that this was one of those times.

He was brought out of his ponderings as he arrived at the main dining room of the jaegers.

He opened the door to only find the big room deserted. He scratched his head as he thought about where the others could be. All regular patrols should have been over now. So it seemed that they had been given a more specific task. As the imperial forces had slowly been subdued and destroyed more over the past two years, the jaegers tasks had become a lot more directed to internal problems. Dealing with spies, murderes and to give protection to certain events had almost become an routine. So it was hard to guess where they were right now.

He sighed. He had been looking forward to meeting Wave again. He had grown to really like the young man during his time in the empire. One of the few members of the imperial army that he wasn't trying to bring ruin to. He would even go so far as to regard him as a friend.

When did I get to that point? Tatsumi thought. Introspecting while he started walking towards Esdeaths quarters to change from his dusty and dirty clothes. When had he actually started to not dislike the company of the jaegers? He had even stopped to hate Esdeath somewhere along the road. In the beginning their relationship he had been so utterly controlled by her that he had basically just been her property in anything but name. However that had slowly changed and he had come to accept parts of her more and more.

He wouldn't say that he returned the immense feelings of love the woman had for him but he had in fact started to... appreciate her love on some deeper level than the plain physical rewards of being her lover. Even though there were still parts of her that he never thought he would be able to understand or relate to. Parts of her that he still despised with his entire being.

He had many times considered if he was suffering from some sort of capture-bonding syndrome. Since he still hated parts of her.

When he had laid out his plans he had actually found himself somewhat relieved that Esdeath was so unbelievably powerfull. That meant that he could pit her against any opponent in the future without even having to consider the moral dilemma of sending his lover to her death. In fact, many parts of his plans depended on her strenght and her survivalist ideals.

He knew that she would only do the bare minimum required of her to halt the oncoming chaos he was about to put in motion. She would actually enjoy the anarchy that was coming. It would supply her with droves of new capable enemies and plenty of new toys to play with. And as she would thrive in the internal conflicts of the empire she would also inadvertently help him destoy it.

"Soon now. Time to run the ships ashore." He said as he smiled bitterly. Walking with his hands behind his head.

"Why is that?" Wave asked from behind him.

Tatsumi jumped into the air with a loud "EEEK" escaping his mouth against his will.

"Damn it, Wave. If I die from a heartattack Esdeath will flay you alive!" Tatsumi threatened. His heart beating inhumanely fast. His mind racing in fear. He had almost revealed something important there. " How did you manage to sneak up on me like that?"

"I wasn't sneaking, to be completly honest. You were just too deep in your thoughts" The blue haired youth smiled encouragingly at him. "And, if you don't mind me saying it, you look like you have seen better days."

"Yeah,I have missed you to, dear friend!" Tatsumi spat back as he tried to calm down. Gods be good. He needed to be more carefull. His lack of sleep was affecting him more than he originally expected.

"When did you get so jumpy though, Tatsumi. Has these last weeks been that hard on you." Wave teased. Tatsumi took a deep breath to steady himself as he looked at his friend.

Wave hadn't changed that much since the first time they met. He had let his hair grow a little longer but it was a small diffrence. He had also gotten a scar some centimeters under his right eye that trailed backwards of his face but it didn't look to bad. He also usually carried a short stubble but Tatsumi had a feeling that was more a question of laziness then a choice of style.

"I will have you know that my mission was a complete success. Unlike your last little trip outside of the city." Tatsumi said with a proud smile.

"That is unfair and you know it. I was given the wrong intel from the start." Wave defended vehemently. Even more so since if they counted that one as a failure, then Tatsumi would be ahead of him in successful personal missions now."The commander agreed that I was not at fault there."

"Did not stop you from groveling at her feet when you gave your report." Tatsumi said with wry smile.

"Give me a break." Wave said. shaking a hand in front of him. "If I had caught her in a worse mood she might have said that I should have realized my intel was false. I have spent enough time in the torture chambers already. While some people only gets hugs and kisses when they return."

Wave saw a shadow fall over Tasumis face at those last words. Sensing that he might have stepped on something that was already hurting. He backtracked."What? A lovers quarrel at last? Tell me, man."

They walked together through the corridors towards Tatsumis destination while he confided in his friend. Wave had actually been very supportive of his "relationship troubles" in the past. Most other people didn't have much sympathy for Tatsumis position since he had been spared torture and death and instead been given the love of the beautiful ice queen.

However Wave knew that Esdeath was more a force of nature than anything else. He had actually believed that Esdeath would slowly strangle the life out of Tatsumi just by being so extremly diffrent from him morally and also just by nature. Wave had assumed that Tatsumi would break before he bent and that Esdeath was going to force one of those outcomes. However Tatsumi had prevailed so far and Wave was going to try and help him in whatever little way he could.

"Well to postpone your reunion only seems to worsen the situation. So I don't think that is a good choice. Not now when she knows you have returned to the capital." Wave said. Grabbing his chin while they walked through the empty corridor.

"Ohh, you think so." Tatsumi said sarcastically with his hands in his pockets. The truth was that Tatsumi hadn't reported directly to Esdeath because he wanted to buy some time to send away some messages. That was why he had gone to the open assembly. So that she only would know that he had returned some hours later when the rumors reached her. Those hopes were thwarted though as Esdeath had been attending the assembly herself. Why had she even been there in the first place?

"It's worse than you think."

"Hmm?" Tasumi raised an eyebrow at Wave.

"I was actually quite relieved to see you walking towards the jaegers quarters earlier. The commanders pent up frustration has gotten some rather ugly discharges this last week." Wave said. He looked around to affirm that they were alone before continuing. Tatsumi kept silent. Fearing what was to come.

"Rumors are that things have gotten quite savage down in the torture chambers these last days." Wave said in a hushed voice. "Esdeath has taken to lock groups of condemned prisoners in a room and then just walk in there alone without any tools or weapons. Beating them to death with her bare hands. Making the other ones in the room wait their turn while she tears their cellmates to pieces. Unable to escape the room or her."

Tasumi drew a deep breath and stared down in the ground. He didn't want to hear this but he needed to know the full consequences brought forth by his actions.

"Yeah. I know" Wave said as he watched the obviously troubled boy. "Even the torture masters have been scared of her. Since one of the torturers that tried oppose her new more savage practices was thrown into the room with the rest of the prisoners."

Tatsumi was unsure of how he should react to this. The torturer getting killed was nothing but a good riddance. The rest of the prisoners though... He wasn't sure this was the worst outcome for them.

When Tatsumi first had become Esdeaths partner she had forced him to go with her wherever she went. Even the torture chambers. He had seen what she was capable of doing to people with the right tools and drugs at her disposal.

The first couple of times he had tried to stop her. Resorting to try with violence and force since he wasn't getting anywhere with his words. But at that time he was not allowed to carry a weapon. Much less a Teigu. Not that Esdeath cared but he was deemed a liability to other soldiers at that time. Though even if he had wielded the incursio the result would still have been the same. He was quickly wrestled down and when it became apparent that he was not going to calm down she simply chained him into one of the torture benches until she was done with her victims. Then she released Tatsumi and took him with her.

After a couple of times he stopped trying. Putting himself in the corner of whatever room Esdeath had chosen. Trying to shut out all sound by covering up his ears while silently weeping. Esdeath had not liked the effects the torture chambers were having on Tatsumi though. One time when she was getting especially creative with two small siblings Tatsumi had actually thrown up his breakfast when he did the mistake of looking around his shoulder. It was at that time that Esdeath decided that that would not do.

He needed to be hardened to these kind of things if he was going to survive in the world with her but this was most certainly the wrong way to do it. Eveytime she went to the torture chambers after that she first took her time to tenderly wrap up Tatsumi in more chains and bindings than he could carry before placing him under competent guards in the vicinity of the chambers. Close enough so she could still feel his presence. But Tatsumi still had to listen to the screams.

If there had been a single time when he could have broken mentally it would have been one of those times, Tatsumi knew. He was actually quite aware that those times had changed him. Jaded him in ways he did not care for. Yet he did endure and soon the entire empire would reap the fruits of his resilience.

"I guess there is not much to it." Tatsumi said. "If she is abandoning all the finess and techniques that she prides herself on in her favorite pastime then she must be getting dangerously pent-up. I think I will just have to accept my fate before things get even worse."

"Yeah, I can't think of anything. Sorry,man but I think that if I tried to distract her away from you this time,I would just be playing with fire."

Tatsumi sighed. "It's okay,Wave. Sooner or later Esdeath usually gets what she wants."

"Oh,by the way," Wave pulled forth a small piece of rolled up paper. "an old homeless lady came to me on my standard patrol this morning. She told me to give this to you. It's a thank you letter. Apparently you saved her son sometime in the past."

Tatsumi took the note and unrolled it. Inside was a long thank you message written with coal. Tatsumi pretty quickly realized that this was the hidden message that he had been waiting for today. He had written and recieved many of these hidden codes so he was able to decipher it with relative ease as they walked.

**"Y_our return was observed this morning. _**

**_Since you have not contacted us, we are proceeding under the assumption that everything has gone according to plan._**

**_T__he operation is going live in two days."_**

"You know, messages like that is really what keeps you going." Wave said. Oblivious to the true meaning of the message. "Makes you feel that all the bullshit is actually worth it."

"Yeah" Tatsumi smiled. "Sometimes people actually get what they deserve" he said as he threw the letter into a fireplace they passed by.

"If you just wait long enough"


	2. Running the ships ashore

**Running the ships ashore.**

When Tatsumi finally arrived at Esdeath's quarters, almost 3 hours had passed since he left her in the assembly hall. He and Wave had got lost in their discussions and went for a longer walk than he had first intended. Wave had been curious about Tatsumis mission and had also been eager to share his worries about Kurome. Wave had held an affection for the girl for as long as Tatsumi had known him but was constantly worried about her mental state these days. Tatsumi did not share this affection with him but he still tried to help his friend whenever he could.

Not that he despised the girl. Ever since he first arrived in the capital a long time ago he had been enjoying the company of murderers, killers and assasins. When you look at it's core, thats all that Night raid ever was as well. However Tatsumi had always put in his moral guidelines at the intentions and reasons why these deeds were done.

Thats is why he originally had come to despise the jaegers. They killed and destroyed in order to maintain the empire and by extension they therefore supported the horrors that the empire made into a reality. However, he had come to find out that this was not the case in all situations. Many of the people who served the empire came from poverty and had mouths to feed at home. Others fought to gain promised protection for those they loved. In a few cases, he had even found people that worked within the empire in order to make it a better place. And to some, it was just another job.

As far as Tatsumi could tell, Kurome belonged in the latter category. It was no doubt that she was unstable mentally. Wishing to kill her sister was not something all to new or shocking for Tatsumi since Akame had shared the same intention but there was something about the way Kurome handled the issue. She seemed to long for the day she could kill Akame and make her a part of her monstrous collection. So that they could be together again. He had considered trying to talk to Esdeath about Kuromes mental state but Wave had told him not to. Fearing the outcome of the scenario.

Not that Tatsumi thought that she would care. For all that could be said about her, Esdeath did not judge people for their diffrent quirks or kinks.

"Are you sure it would not be a good thing to exclude her from all the fighting then?" Tatsumi asked. "I mean, it sure as hell doesn't seem to be doing her any good. She actually might not have the resolve to withstand the work as a jaeger after all."

"Yeah, cause some people just go on completly unaffected after watching their freinds die." Wave said sarcastically.

Tatsumi simple nodded towards the sign atop of the barracks they were passing. Esdeath's insignia deeply carved into the wood. Marking the barracks as a station for her troops.

"The commander would not try to aid, help and protect us if she didn't have any regards for our lives." Wave defended. "You are being to harsh on her."

That almost made Tatsumi laugh. The concept of being too harsh on the ice queen seemed completly otherwordly to him. Wave noticed his reaction though.

"Just because she doesn't let her comrades deaths affect her doesn't mean that she don't care about us." He went on.

"I have a feeling that she just knows that if you treat your subordinates well they will work harder for you." Tatsumi countered. "And Esdeath doesn't have any comrades. Only subordinates and pets"

"And a very grumpy lover, it would seem." Wave said. Teasingly trying to lighten the mood a little bit.

Tatsumi simply smiled and shook his head. "Anyway, Kurome?" He said,returning to topic.

"I can't take her away from the fighting. That is the only way she knows how to live. And if she stops her career as a warrior they might actually take her teigu from her. Then she will collapse entirely. She draws a lot of strenght and emotional stability from the belief that she still has all her friend around her." Wave said. His voice filled with desperation.

"You know as well as I that those friends are nothing more than shadows and memories. You must make her realize this sooner or later. Even if it may crush her." Tatsumi answered. "And we both know that there is only one end awaiting those who can only define themselves by fighting." He concluded bluntly.

When he looked over to see the sadness on his friends face, Tatsumi felt that he might be letting his bitterness get the better of him. He put his hand on Waves shoulder and squeezed it lightly.

"We will find a way to solve this, Wave. We just have to keep thinking until we find a solution. Until then, all you can do is to try and protect her." he said. Trying to sound wiser than he was.

It seemed to have worked though. A smile returned to his friends face."Yeah, I got my work cut out for me it would seem." Wave said with a little more energy as they finally started to come close to their original destination.

"We both do. It seems like I now have to face my own walk to the gallows" he said as they closed in on the huge doors that led to Esdeath's personal quarters.

"Hey, I have an idea. If we got a party going on the floors under and above of this one then nobody would hear what was going on in these chambers tonight." Wave exclaimed.

"Well, that doesn't really save me from the experience."

"No, but then you can just bite the pillows and weather it out and nobody will be any wiser" Wave said. Suddenly quite excited about his new idea.

"Wave, the only ones who live on the higher levels are the highest ministers in the country and below us is where the royal guards resides." Tatsumi said. Not sure if he liked his friends phrasing on that last sentence.

"Even the royal guard must relax at times. I actually have som goodwill from them since my last two personal missions was about aiding them." the other boy said. "If I get some musicians to attend we might even get some of the ministers to come down in curiosity." Wave proclaimed hopefully. "This is going to be great."

Tatsumi felt that this suddenly was less about him and his problems and more about something else. "Well, anyway, this is my stop." He said as he stopped in front of a set of extravagant doors. Esdeath's insignia engraved on top of both doors in beautiful black metal.

Wave patted him on the back enthusiastically. "Good luck,man. My thoughts will go with you. Now I must hurry as well. I have a lot of things that I need to work out before the evening comes."

"See you later, Wave." Tatsumi said with genuine fondness as he watched his friend run down the corridor.

Ok, lets do this! Tatsumi thought. Mustering up whatever energy he had left. Chances are that the assembly was over and that she was already in her quarters. In wich case she would know that he was standing outside the doors. Only waiting for him to enter.

He did his usual routine. He took a couple of deep breaths. Steadying himself while stretching his arms and neck. Trying to focus in on a mental image. She has helped me get much stronger than I once was. She has saved me from rape and I would be dead many times over if it wasn't for her. Tatsumi thought. Her subordinates adore her and she takes good care of her soldiers. Even going so far as punishing those who tries to denounce them within the empire.

Focusing on those parts of Esdeath that he genuinly appreciated, he steeled himself for what was to come. He didn't need to think about the other half of her character. Not now. Now he needed to get through this in one piece. He thought one last time about the letter Wave had given him and drew joy from it while he put his hand on the doorknob and entered Esdeath's quarters.

* * *

><p>On the huge grass plains to the far east of of the capital, a solitary creature could be seen bounding through the fields. Moving at a speed far faster than what any normal animal was capable of. Only touching the ground every twenty meters or so. Leaving a deep footprint into the ground everytime it did. It's destination was just a few hundred meters infront of it now. A slightly concealed camp, consisting of two tents and a fire. Hidden in the cover of a pair of fallen trees. Two figures could be seen sitting by the fire.<p>

Unknowing of the incoming creature.

When the fast moving beast only had 40 meters left it planted both its feet into the ground and launched itself high into the air. Landing with a crash into the middle of the camp. Right in front of the two campers. Making one of them let out a feminin shriek, while the other fell over backwards from the suprise.

"If you can't even notice me when I am coming at you with full velocity then you won't last long if you have to go up against one of the jaegers." Leone smiled a teasing, confident smile as she rose up from the small crater her landing had created. "Try to be more perceptive won't you? Otherwise I will have to worry about you."

"Leone!" The young woman shouted angrily. Rising up from her sitting position, her brown eyes filled with rage. She had long brown hair reaching a good bit beyond her shoulders and wore civilaian clothes. A long bow strapped around her back and a knife fastened around her thigh. While she doesn't stand out much, she is rather cute. In a plain sort of way. Leon thought, as she dismissed Lionelle. Slowly changing back to her normal appearance. "Ohh, did I disrupt your precious time with your boyfriend, Maria? Sorry!

The young agent of the revolutiounary army did not let her superiors teasing faze her,however. "That was very unproffesionell of you. We were told you were the only one who would know we were here."

"Yeah and you snuffed out our fire with your landing." Rori shouted as he finally managed to get back on his feet. The boy also wore civil clothing and had short yellow hair and blue eyes. He was a bit more muscular than he had been last time Leone had seen him. He must have spent a lot of time training. Leone thought. Probably to look good for Maria. He seemed to have left the spear that was his usual weapon back in the tents though.

"No matter."Leone said waving a hand infront of her. " We are moving out immediately. Get your things ready."

Immediately her juniors started packing their things and closing down their tents.

Still two diffrent tents to sleep in though, Leone thought. I know whats going on between you two so why do you try so hard to keep up appearances for me?

Her cute litte subordinates. Night raid had since almost 12 months now changed the way they conducted a huge part of their operations. Nowadays they usually worked closer with the revolutionary army. Since the revolutionary army had been terribly decimated during these last year the forces that remained had become much more valuable. So Night raid often found themselves helping larger forces from the shadows or leading small strike teams of revolutionary soldier into more difficult missions. During easier one-man missions they were usually assigned some competent agents from the army. Meant to help them with more menial tasks while the agents got to learn and get better themselves.

Leone had hated the idea at first. She had almost always imagined herself as more of a lone wolf when it came to these type of tasks. But sure enough, after a little while she had gotten quite fond of her two attendants. She had even helped the young man confess his love to Maria. Playing the youths into each other arms while happily watching as their love blossomed under her care.

Leone was brought back from her reminiscing when the young boy,Rori, asked her a question.

"What are we setting out for,Leone? We weren't told anything beyond where we would meet up with you." he asked while putting down his tent.

"Najenda has sent us to investigate one of our old hideouts that we no longer use." she answered. "An ex-member of the Night raid was seen lurking about it two and a half weeks ago."

"Anyone we would know of?" Maria said as she finished up her packing. Finished a great deal of time before Rori, as usual.

"Tatsumi of the jaegers." Leone asnwered in a voice bereft of emotions.

"Ahh,so we are going to catch Tatsumi" Rori said with enthusiasm. " So that he can be brought to the revolutionary army."

"No Rori." She answered calmly. Not meeting the young mans gaze. "Have you forgotten? We are assasins. Not slavers."

The young man stopped his packing, turning around to her. Leone kept her gaze on the huge fields infront of them. Not looking at either of them.

"Excuse me for stepping out of line commander... but are you sure your okay with this?" Rori finally said.

Thick-headed lilttle boy! Leone thought. "He burned all his chances of redemption with us when he choose to give one of us to the ice bitch" she answered. Her voice now held a small hint of anger. "It's one thing to stop fighting. Another to stab those that used to protect you in the back."

"Leone.." Maria said, rising up. She had sat down to help Rori to pack his stuff when she thought Leone wasn't watching. Trying to help him look good infront of their commander. The cute gesture had not gone unnoticed by Leone but her mood was way to foul to be cheered up by it rigth now.

She sighed. " Well, thats what the general consensus is anyway. I'm not quite so sure myself. Anyway, we have mainly been sent there to scout." She turned to her attendants with a gentle smile. "Lets play it by ear, shall we?"

"Yes,commander!" they answered in unison.

"Now get back to packing." she said. Her usual vigour returning to her voice. "We are leaveing in five minutes. I plan to be at the old hideout tomorrow afternoon. If you slow me down, you will regret it." she said. Sounding a lot more upbeat.

"Of course!" They answered in unison,once again. Quickly returning to packing the last of Rori's stuff.

Leone turned to watch the sky. I guess we will just have to see what has become of you Tatsumi,she tought. Bringing forth the hope she had been hiding deep inside her for so long.

Maybe. Just maybe, this could still be fixed.

* * *

><p>To Tatsumis suprise Esdeath's chambers were actually not as deserted as usual. Three deliverymen were in the process of carrying ,what Tatsumi assumed to be,a wrapped up painting into one of the rooms when he entered. He was about to greet them but he stopped when he heard a sound from the corridors behind him. What could have been mistaken for the sound of a gust of wind for a less trained ear made him try to turn as fast as he could. Bur he didn't manage to turn around before she smashed into him from behind.<p>

Esdeath had met Wave as she was heading towards the jaegers quarters. She had stopped the young man and he had told her that Tatsumi was in her chambers already. He had not been able to ask her about the royal guards stand on leisure activities since she had darted out of his sight before he could even start his question. She had then accelerated to a speed few in the capital could hope to match. Flying up the stairs and through the long corridors. And then he was there. At long last. She didn't even bother with trying to stop her speed. Simply flying into the boy from behind. Wrapping her arms around his chest.

Tatsumi let out a "Oooooff" as the impact knocked the air from his lungs. He planted his feet in the floor in an attempt to stop her momentum. Leaving long ugly marks across the beautiful floor as he drove his boots into it. He managed to not fall over but when they finally came to a halt their braking distance had taken them through a pair of already open doors and into Esdeath's personal study.

Tatsumi breathed out as he tried to straighten up a bit with her still grabbing him from behind.

"Esdeath" He said tentativly. Unsure of what was to come. The only answer he got was something between a hiss and a snarl in his right ear before he was lifted of the ground. She pressed their bodies together so hard that Tatsumi thought she was going to break some of his ribs. She pressed her face into the hair at the upper back of his head, taking deep breaths. Filling her lungs with his smell once again.

_Finally! Everything is right with the world again_, Esdeath thought as she continued to breath in her lover's smell.

Tatsumi saw her white longcoat sway forward at his sides from behind him. Wich meant that she probably was coming directly from the assembly, he concluded as his own body was bending back and forth as her chest rose and fell with her deep breaths. Speaking of breathing, he was completly unable to. Her grip was so constricting that she was pressing all the air out of his body.

He tried to speak but all he could get out was a hiss. He started to slap the side of her stomach in an attempt to get her attention. To no awail. He was starting to feel all strenght leave his body when she finally loosened her grip. Allowing his feet to touch the floor again. He was thankful that she didn't let him go though, since he would probably fall over at this point.

"You will never leave me alone for so long ever again" she growled into his hair. She sounded angry but Tatsumi had a feeling that was not the case. This agressivness was driven forth by another part of her more primal nature. Frankly, a little part of him actually wished that she was just angry with him.

"So I guess the assembly is over already." He said, feeling dizzy from the lack of oxygen.

"No. There is still more than a hundred reports left." She said in a exasperated voice."I have to return to it in a minute. I thought that knowing that I could have you with me when I was done would make this ordeal easier. It didn't" Her voice turning bitter at her last words." If anything, it makes my wait even more unbearable."

_YES!_, Tatsumi thought. Now he could get a couple hours of rest before she came and _claimed_ him tonight. He was almost about to tease her about how the empire's strongest warrior couldn't handle a simple meeting but quickly thought better of it. If she was as pent-up as it seemed, he would have to tread carefully. Inviting her more playfull sides to come out at this point could be a grave mistake.

"I will still be here when you return" he said as warmly as he was able to. He grabbed one of the arms that was tangled around him and squeezed it.

She didn't answer but simply buried her nose in the side of his neck while slithering her arms in under his shirt. Wrapping his ,to her arms naked, upper body in their strong embrace.

"Excuse me, where should we put the painting?" A nervous voice called out from the door. Tatsumi felt how Esdeath's head slowly rose from where his neck and shoulder connected and turned to look at the source of the disturbance. She felt like a viper rising to strike.

Tatsumi decided to intervene before anything happened. He turned his head the best he could in her embrace and looked at the young deliveryman standing in the doorway. The boy was already sweating heavily so Tatsumi assumed that Esdeath wasn't exactly smiling at him from behind his back.

"Ahh, take it in here! If this piece of art managed to catch Esdeath's attention then I have to see it." He said with a happy voice. Trying to send the boy a reassuring grin.

The young deliveryman took his chance and quickly disappeared into the other room, shouting at his co-workers turn around.

"I didn't get it though. It's just some gift from yet another nobleman." she said. Returning her nose to his hair. "Trying to get on my good side, no doubt."

"It must be hard to be so popular."

"I would be more impressed if a footsoldier came walking over from the barracks to confess to me" she said. Her long fingers starting to slowly draw circles on the skin under Tatsumi's arms. "Then I would at least praise him for getting past all of the imperial guards. Though admittedly, both attempts would get the same result."

The three deliverymen hurriedly walked in with the painting. Putting it up against one of the bookshelves. Then retreating out of the room after having quickly uncovered it.

Both of them turned their eyes to the painting.

"Nope!" Tatsumi exclaimed.

"Ohh yes!" Esdeath answered.

The painting delivered portayed them both in rather... daring scenario.

"I want to put it somewhere were a lot of people can see it." Esdeath said giddly. "I might actually have to thank the nobleman for this gift."

"Are you kidding me?! Or do you want me to be the laughing stock of everyone who ever walks into our chambers?" Tatsumi argued determinately.

"What are you talking about, Tatsumi? You look quite.. adorable in this painting if you ask me." Esdeath calmly answered. Tatsumi could almost feel her smile behind him.

"At least you got to wear some goddam clothes in it! You have your entire uniform on you." Tatsumi responded.

"Well, you do have that elegant collar on you." she answered while giggling. "But I already knew that you looked good in collar and leash." she continued while her smile grew a bit larger.

"I thought that you were a possesive kind of lover. Not the kind to share the sights that are reserved for you with the entire world." Tatsumi said. Trying a diffrent strategy.

"It isn't that revealing, Tatsumi. My left leg is obscuring your more private parts."

"Do I actually have tears on my face in this? I do, don't I?"

"Yes. Yes you do. I must compliment the artist on this one." she said. Hur voice growing a bit more husky. "I say we hang it up in the entrance hall."

"I look like a bitch!" Tatsumi said. Growing desperate.

"No, you look like my bitch. There is a huge diffrence." Esdeath answered in a sweet voice.

"We're burning it."

"Oh are we?" Her voice growing dangerously soft as her arms once again tightened around his body. She moved her mouth to his right ear. "And who is gonna stop me from hanging it up? You,my dear sweet little Tatsumi?" she whispered into his ear. Her nails suddenly digging into his skin.

Only now did Tatsumi realize that he had inadvertently pushed her a little bit. He had actually enjoyed their banter so much that he had forgotten to be careful.

"Who was it that eventually came over to me, my love? Which one of us was it that eventuelly bent to other? Who was it that let his friends go in order to become mine?"

Tatsumi tensed. To Esdeath, Tatsumi's betrayal of Night raid was one of her happiest memories. The moment when her love finally reached him. When she finally got him. Unbeknownst to Esdeath, the reason Tatsumi had caved in had been more based in desperate strategic thinking than her affection. It had simply been his final try to do some damage to the empire.

Esdeath did ,however, know that Tatsumi was not proud of his betrayal and hated to talk about it. So out of consideration for her lover she rarely did. So now,when she was not only mentioning it but pretty much shoving it in his face, Tatsumi knew, that it could only mean one thing.

She was challenging him. Normally she wouldn't try to push him this far in these kind of scenarios. Normally she would have destroyed the painting herself if it bothered him.

No, this was not about the painting. She wanted him to lash out in some way. She wanted a chance to assert her possesiv dominance over him again. In whatever ways Tatsumi dared not imagine. He once again realized that he had been away from her for far too long. He needed to backtrack. Now.

He slowly started to stroke his head backward towards the side of her face. Slowly nestling into her. It took a moment but then she started to return the movements. Stroking and snuggling against his neck and ear. Tatsumi felt a little bit relieved.

"Who was it, that in my bed, finally gave me the name of his former girlfriend, Tatsumi?"

Enough, Tatsumi thought.

"Alright, alright, alright." he said tiredly. "You win, as always. Put the damn painting wherever you want it."

"Spoilsport" she said." We will put in our bedroom then. It's rare for anyone else to be there but the two of us."

"Yeah, now only all the maids and cleaning personel will be spreading rumors about me and what hangs by our bed." Tatsumi said with a bitter voice.

"Do you also care about what the ants you walk on are talking about?" she asked him as her left arm came out from under his shirt to run its fingers through his hair.

"Aren't you going to be late to the assembly?" Tatsumi sighed.

"Yeah, you are right. I should be leaving." Esdeath said with a hint of sadness as she slowly raised her head from his shoulder. "One more thing though."

Tatsumi did not have time to react as the hand that was stroking his hair moved down and drew away the collar of his shirt. Then with lightning speed she sunk her teeth into his right side, where his shoulder and neck connected.

"WhaaAAIIHEE!" Tatsumi was for the third time that day unable to hold down his voice. This time was the worst one yet though. This was no little playbite. He felt her teeth sink into his flesh. Drawing blood which her tongue greedily licked up. Tatsumi immediatly started squiming but her one arm under his shirt held his body in place and her other arm stopped both of his own from flailing with ease. He pushed his head against hers in a violent mimicking of their earlier snuggling.

After a second or two she pulled her teeth out of him. But she kept her mouth on his wound. Loudly gulping down his blood until it stopped pouring out of him. Finally after minute and a half she let him go for the first time since she tackled him into their chambers. Tatsumi took a step from her and turned around.

"Gods, what was that for?!" he shouted at her.

Her hand reached out and grabbed his shirt. She pulled him in and kissed his already half open mouth. Shoving her tongue down his throat. Tasumi could feel the taste of his own blood invading his mouth. They stayed like that for some seconds before Esdeath finally pulled back.

"Have you gone and become a vampire in my abscence or something?" Tatsumi cried out.

"Not really, no." Esdeath said. Smiling while licking her lips. " You have been away fom me for so long. So I felt a really strong urge to mark you in some way."

"This again." Tatsumi said, while clasping his new wound with one of his hands.

"I will be returning later this evening."She said while adjusting her cap. She put a finger under his chin, lifting his face up so that their eyes met. "I will expect you to be here then, Tatsumi."

"I will. If you take too long I might be asleep though. I haven't slept in a bed for weeks." he said. Obediently meeting her gaze. This was no time for meaningless disobedience.

"No worries. I will wake you up." she said. Smiling at him in an almost threatning way. Then she turned around and started walking out of the room.

"I still need to go and turn in my written report to the archives though. So I might be gone for an hour or so." he said. Looking at her back.

"We both have duties to fulfill, Tatsumi. But I would advise you to not leave me waiting for too long." She turned around as she opened one of the huge doors out to the corridor. "You can put my copy of it on the desk over there. I will read it tomorrow."

With that she closed the door and was gone.

Tatsumi fell to his knees as the mere pressure of her presence faded away.

Just meeting her for the first time in a long while was enough to reminded him of his biggest problem.

Her. To him she was just a very agressive and possesive lover with sadistic tendencies. But to the rest of the world she was one of the biggest monsters known to man. She commited genocide, not by orders but with her own hands. She found joyfull glee in "playing" with and destroying other people.  
>To her everyone alive just another mean for her to have her horrible fun. Everyone but him.<p>

If everything went well the empire would burn to the ground in the months to come. She would be helping it to fall apart by just being herself.

But Tatsumi was well aware that when the ashes settled she would probably still be standing. She would still embody every reason why the empire needed to fall.

And he still wasn't sure of what he would do when that time came.

* * *

><p>"You mean to say that my rank means nothing in this matter." Wave said angirly to the lady behind the desk.<p>

His plans to save Tatsumi from any shame had appeared to be a lot more difficult to pull off than he had originally appreciated. When he had inquired to the captain who had responsibility over the barracks under Esdeaths quarters he had asked Wave for the proper papers and admissions. Wave had of course not anticipated that it would require four diffrent approvals from four diffrent authorities. Each single one a challenge to get. To do it within the timelimit he had been given seemed almost impossible.

He had been standing in three diffrent ques in three diffrent instituitions and he still had not even got the chance to meet a single one of the people whose approvals he needed. He had been at it for almost three hours now.

The most annoying part of it was that the captain of the barracks and he's men had all recognized Wave from the missions they had shared. Their faces had lit up when he mentioned a chance to party and relax but they fell just as quickly when he made it clear that he didn't have any permissions yet. They needed this just as much as Tatsumi. Wave thought. He just needed to get through all this damn bureaucracy.

"No,sir. As I said before, the security manager of the northern barracks is a very busy man. You will have to make an appointment. And even if you do talk to him it will probably take a week or so before he would be able to look into your case and approve of it."

This was the fouth time he was denied. The fourth time he had left empty handed. He needed to find a way though. Tatsumi depended on him. His friends in the royal guard depended on him. He needed to solve this. He needed to find a way!

To party. For everyones sake.

He was not gonna back away that easy this time. He was a jaeger. Working directly under Esdeath. He could not let some simple standards and procedures stop him. His commander would understand, he prayed as he straightened up.

"Listen here, I am a member of the jaegers and if I don't get to meet the manager I might-"

"Ohh.. What is going on over here?" A deep, relaxed voice came from behind Wave. Wave managed to see the secrataries jaw drop as he turned around.

Behind him loomed the bulk of a huge man with a hugmoungus belly and a wild white beard.

Wave immediatel bowed as deep as he could while remain standing. "Prime minister, my apologies! I was too caught up in my disscusion. I did not notice you."

The older man let out a slow and deep laugh. " At ease, lad. I'm just out for a stroll. Wave of the jaegers,was it?" His voice was warm and fatherly.

"Yes, sir!" Wave said. It did not escape him that the room that was earlier filled with people was now empty.

"Well then, young man. Why don't you walk with me for a bit? I would enjoy some company."

"Sir, I don't think I could do that without telling you that me and your late son did not.. get along to well. I'm very sorry" He bowed again.

The prime minister was silent for a second or two but then he answered in an almost humble tone. "The past is in the past. Regret it as we may. Don't worry about it."

"Sir?" Wave said. Unsure about what was going on. He had heard from many diffrent sources that the prime minister was a vile and corruptive creature. Powerhungry with a complete disregard for the well-being of anyone but himself. However, this was the first time Wave had seen the man and so far the man did not fit the rumors.

"Come now, young man. Walk with me and tell me about what troubles the youth these days!" The large man said while gently gripping Waves shoulder. Tugging him away to the long corridors of the castle.

After a bit of hesitation Wave finally told his new walking partner of what he was trying to do. Taking great care to emitt Tatsumi from the story.

".. so I thought it would be a great idea to boost morale with the troops,sir. I must admit though, that I my plans has easily been overturned by-"

"simple bureaucracy." the prime minister finished for him. "These things happens to all of us. Even I sometimes find myself caught up in these kind of things. I know that it can be quite irritating."

Wave lowered his head a bit. "I'm sorry you had to see that,sir. I was just getting desperate."

" No worries, lad. I myself have found that sometimes it is better to... find a way to walk around the rules. They are,after all ,put in place to protect the people. If they instead prevent us from doing just that then one should not be afraid to find a way around them. For the good of all, of course.

" I agree sir! But I don't see what you are getting at?" Wave said. He was being very carefull not to step out of line here. The prime minister did give of a friendly feeling but all the rumors and sayings lingered in the back of his head.

"Let me be completly open with you here, Wave. I did not meet you today by pure happenstance. I had arranged for this meeting to happen."

Well, no shit, Wave thought. All these halls and corridors are usually not completly deserted in the middle of the afternoon.

"I hope you will excuse me but I did it for a very good reason,young man." the minister went on." I was thinking that we might help each other out a bit. I might need your aid."

"What do you mean, Sir?" Wave answered. Trying to be very attentiv of the mans intentions.

"I frankly think this little festivity of yours is a great idea. I could also easily make it happen. As matter of fact, I will make it so you can hold this little party with the royal guard no matter of your answer. Just as a show of goodwill. To prove that I'm not trying to blackmail you, Wave."

This suprised Wave a huge deal. "Ohh. Well, thank you a lot, sir! But sir, won't the great general take offence to that?"

"Budo trusts his soldiers to make these judgments themself. If they want to participate it means that they will still be able to do their duty." the minister said while tapping his stomach."

"Sir, not to criticize your judgement but are you sure you don't have more capable people at your disposal than me?"

"It is you I need wave. Because this problem is quite unique." The prime minister said as he took a folder out of his jacket. "This is about your good friend Tatsumi."

Wave tensed up. Tatsumi had always gotten a lot of flack from the higher ups in the empire but never from this far up. Those who were as high as the prime minister usually had to meet and work with Esdeath from time to time and therefore rarely critizised her partner openly.

"It seems that your friend has been up an about a whole lot these last few months." the prime minister said as he opened his folder while they walked. "And it has had some... unwelcomed effects."

Wave didn't say anything. He felt very uncertain if he liked where this was going.

"I'm sure you have heard that the torture chambers seems to have become a wilder place lately." he continued and sighed. "Esdeath does seem frustrated about the direction her relationship with your friend is heading."

"That might be so,sir." Wave said. Unwilling to commit to anything yet.

"Wave, Esdeath is one of the most important military assets our empire has. She has remained completly steady and reliable against all the horrors and troubles this empire has faced. She has brought us some of our greatest victories and created one of our most effective armies. Losing her would be an horrible strike to the empire, don't you think?"

"Of course,sir!" Wave exclaimed with determination. While Wave knew that his commander had her quirks he still admired her deeply and was very thankfull for all the opportunities she had given him. Asking nothing in return from him but that he always does his best when he works under her. In fact, Wave was still rather proud of being a part of her jaegers despite all the bad things it had brought him.

"Then you must also realize that it is quite troublesome when the first signs of irregularity in her behaviour comes from such a small thing as her subordinate Tatsumis erratic actions." The prime minister stopped and turned to Wave.

"Wave I want you to tell me all about Tatsumi's whereabouts in the future. I want you to report what he does and says directly to me."

"If you excuse me for saying it,sir, but that is a rather large order." Wave said. This deal started to smell really foul to him. " You want me to spy on my friend in exchange for a simple party?"

"I already told you that the party is already yours just for listening to my request."

"So you do want me to spy on Tatsumi though,sir?" Wave said. Making the last word bear more weight than usual.

"Not spy. Report. I don't want you to go meddling in his affairs or try to ask him things that doesn't come naturally." The minister looked Wave straight in the eyes and gave him a concerned look. "You are the only person that Tatsumi confides with about these kind of troubles. You are the only one who can help me succed with this."

"Succeed with what,sir?" Wave said looking sternly at the older man.

"Helping to make Esdeath's and your friend's relationship work out, of course." The prime minister looked at him as if he was a child that needed to have everything explained to him.

Wave on the other hand was taken aback quite a bit. "What? Is this all only about that?"

"There is no "only" in this,my lad. We have no idea how Esdeath would react if their relationship suddenly fell through. It's a risk we simply cannot take. We need her to stay strong for the sake of the entire empire." The minister said, keeping his stern expression. "I believe that we can avoid that scenario with your help. I constantly work with Esdeath and you hear many things from Tatsumi. If you report what you hear to me we will have the full picture and will be able to act accordingly."

"Well then,if that is the only thing this is about, then I will be more than willing to help you. "Wave said with a friendly smile. He recalled that the prime minister actually was one of the few politicians which Esdeath ever had expressed any amount of respect for. So this couldn't be that bad. "I have already been trying to find a way to make things work out smoother for them"

"Atta boy!" The old man laughed while patting him on the shulder in fatherly way. "Here take this folder, remember the things in it and report all the things Tatsumi says about them directly to me."

"Sir, this is mostly locations and diffrent noblemen,politicians and military personell" Wave said while he gave the prime minister a questioning look.

"Those are the things that I have noticed makes Esdeath mood turn sour."The prime minister _lied_."It is important that we found out what Tatsumis realtionship to them is."

"I see." Wave said returning to flipping through the folders diffrent pages. "Do you mind if I keep this folder? I don't think I could memories all of these on the spot. There are so many of them"

"Yes, I suspect that Tatsumi has been around quite a lot these last months." The prime minister said. A darker look passing his face for a very short while." Keep the folder, lad., Just keep it well hidden. And remember, don't ask any questions that would not be normal in the given situation. Don't stick your nose somewhere risky and most importantly: don't let Esdeath know that you report to me."

"Huh? Why should I not let Esdeath know that we are trying to help them." Wave asked.

"The situation is strained enough as it is, my boy. Letting Esdeath know that we are inquiring into the most private part of her life without permission might not be a good idea, don't you think? Especially since we are acting on the insinuation that she can't handle it herself."

"Yeah, that does make more sense then I wish it would" Wave said. Having experienced a small imitation of what it meant to get on Esdeath's bad side once. That was already far more than enough. "I get it."

"Great!" The older man boomed. " Putting a firm yet kind hand on Waves shoulder. Leading him on down the corridor. "Now, you can't have a proper celebration without some music, my lad. Tell me, have you thought about any musicians in particular. Otherwise I have some great recommandations." The prime minister continued on as they walked down the corridor. The folder about Tatsumi's secrets tucked deep inside Wave's jacket.

* * *

><p>Tatsumi walked through the streets of the huge inner castle yard. Walking over to the military archieves to turn in his report. It was growning a bit late and very little of the sunlight now made it over the walls. He could feel his hunger growing since it already was about dinner time. In his right hand he held his misson report.<p>

The misson had always only been an excuse to be able to leave Esdeath's direct surveillance but it had needed to be a good one. Otherwise Esdeath wouldn't have given her permisson. So Tatsumi had made up a story about how there still were people who didn't know he had defected from the revolutionary army. If he was alone and without surveillance he could use these people to get close to the revolutionary army. Bringing invaluable intel to the capital.

He also knew that he had to bring back some results. Otherwise his actions and procedures would have been more thoroughly investigated. So he had chosen to reveal an old Night raid base to the empire. Spending the first three days of his "misson" to travel to the base and make sure that it was still abandoned. Ensuring that there were nothing there that revealed Night raids current location.

He had made up an long story about following leads and infiltrating spy meetings in order to find the Night raid base. "Documenting" everything in great detail in the report he was about to turn in.

After reaching the right building and standing in line for a few minutes he handed over the folder to an army official. Identifying himself and showing his jaegeer insignia. As he was about to turn around and head back out the uniformed man that had accepted his report spoke up.

"One moment, jaeger. A letter was delivered for you just some minutes ago."

"Huh, I didn't know this was a post office." Tatsumi said with a mocking smile.

"Yeah, neither did I. But orders are orders." the uniformed man answered bitterly. Handing over a letter that was little more than a paper that had been folded over and sealed with wax.

"Thanks" Tatsumi said and walked out of the building while staring at the letter.

**_"To Tatsumi of the jaegers. _**

**_From Makeias."_**

This was written across the top of the folded letter. The name meant nothing to Tatsumi. He stuffed the letter into his pocket and headed to his next location.

Fifteen minutes later he walked into a small bar in one of the more run down parts of the capital city. He walked down to the front counter and said that he would like order some food. The girl behind the counter nodded and led him away to a empty secluded room on the second floor of the bar. There she motioned for him to take a seat in a sofa with a table in the corner of the room. Then she left him for a couple of minutes. The room only had one window and looked more lika a storage area than anything else.

Then she returned with a flagon of water and some sandwiches. She sat down in front of him. She was a girl in her twenties with curly blonde hair and blue eyes. Wearing a low cut bar maid uniform over her rather well-endowed body.

"We heard that you had returned this morning but we didn't know if it was true." she said silently. "Did everything go as planned."

"I managed to accomplish everything I set out to do." Tatsumi said as he took a bite of one of the sandwiches. Taking great care to use broad terms in case someone,against all odds, was listening to them from a hidden position. "Two days now."

"So I heard." she answered. "Were you mauled by some kind of beast during your journey" she asked with a teasing smile. Gesturing to Tatsumis neck that now carried a painfully visible bite mark.

"Something along those lines." Tatsumi said. Her smile told him that she had already guessed who was responsible for the wound."Has anything changed since I left?" he asked her.

"Nothing big. Eveything is going just as one would expect it to." She answered with a knowing smile. "I guess you have already heard about Esdeath's little outburst."

Tatsumi nodded. "So that is common knowlege now?"

"Oh I wouldn't say common knowledge. But you hear all sort of things when you... work in a bar."

"Anything else?"

"Now that I think about it, there is on more thing that you might want to know" she said and leaned in a bit closer. "Another general returned to the capital city while you were gone."

"Who?" Tatsumi said. Putting down his sandwich. This could mean everything or nothing.

"The pillager has come back after defeating his oppositions at the borders." she answered. Her tone serious.

Tatsumi knew little of this man. The general known as The pillager by the small folk had been stationed at the far borders of the empire for as long as Tatsumi could remember. Earning his nickname by letting his armies forage and pillage everything they could from enemy towns and soil when they lost their supply lines.

"Is he a problem?"

"We don't know. Generals usually get to their ranks either because of their raw fighting-power or their ability to manipulate things in their favor. Most times they have a big share of both talents." She shrugged. "Though if they say two days then I guess that it has been deemed that general Makeias is no threat in the bigger picture."

Tatsmui froze. He pulled up the letter from his pocket. "Is The pillager's real name Makeias?"

"Yeah. General Makeias."

"He left a message for me." He said. Showing the scrunched piece of paper.

"What does it say?" she asked. A fearfull look suddenly taking the smiles place.

Tatsumi broke the seal and read the simple message.

"He invites me for lunch in his quarters tomorrow." Tatsumi said. Confused at to what this meant.

"Invites? Is he not giving you an order?"

"No. It's a simple invitation." Tatsumi said scratching the back of his head. "Which could mean many things. Since the jaegers is a special force under Esdeath's direct control any orders we recieve first has to pass through her. That might be the why this is an informal invitation."

"You think he doesn't want Esdeath to know about it?"

"Maybe. Maybe it means something else. Though there is definetly something fishy about it." he said. Folding the letter and putting it back in his pocket. "I guess I will have to go and see for myself. The question is if I should tell Esdeath about this or not."

"I would opt for not doing it." The lady barworker said while resting her head into her right hand. "If he is a general then chances are that he is very ambitius and meeting you is just some plot to reach his next goal. If that is the case then we might be able to play him up against someone powerfull in the future. This could be an opportunity."

" You might be right. I will meet him tomorrow and we will see. I will think about if I should bring Esdeath into it." When he thought about it he could remember a few times when Esdeath had mentioned her fellow general. They had apperantly been serving under the same legion in the beginning of their military careers. And had both become generals at about the same time. He couldn't recall anything more that she had mentioned about the man."

"Anyway, thanks for the meal. It's always a pleasure to come here." He looked out of the one solitary window in the room and saw that the sun had set and darkness was creeping out into the streets.

" Don't mention it" Do you want me to mix you a drink for the road?"

"Yeah, that would be great. Thanks." Tatsumi replied with a smile.

"I will be back in a second then." She rose from the seat and walked out of the room. Tatsumi leaned back into the sofa.

The day after tomorrow. Then it would all start. Tatsumi had never thought he would relish destruction or look forward to chaos but some parts of him was looking forward to this. All the things he had seen, all the horrors he had witnessed and endured, all the pains and betrayals he had committed, they all lead up to this moment. This was the purpose and justification for it all. Now this whole empire would burn.

He closed his eyes. Maybe he had become more like Esdeath after all, he thought. Maybe she had manage to change him in some way. Though he was confident that this was not the results she had anticipated.

When his host returned ,ten minutes later, Tatsumi had fallen over and was snooring loudly in the sofa. She tought about waking him up but in the end she just put a blanket over him and turned of the lights. Letting him sleep there for the night.

And Tatsumi dreamed of fire and ruin.

* * *

><p>Back at the castle's living quarters Wave had gotten the party started. Even the prime minister himself had payed a short visit in the beginning. Now the band was getting warmed up and the voices grew louder and merrier.<p>

Unknown to Wave, his good intentions were serving the opposite effect. Only adding further fuel to Esdeath's frustration.

She had weathered through the assmebly which had gone on long past the dinner time. She had savored the lingering taste of Tatsumi's blood in her mouth for as long as she could still taste it. Drawing a deep satisfied pleasure from the fact that she had taken a part of him and made it into a part of her. Forever having a bit of him inside of her as a part of her own flesh.

When the meeting had finally been adjourned by the great general she had been giddy as a small girl on christmas as she got back to her living quarters. Only to find that her present was not there. He had ,however, left some of his clothes wich she spent a good five minutes hugging.

Considering it already was quite late into the evening,she had chosen to get undressed and lay down in her bed. She would still be able to feel his presence and wake up even if she fell asleep. Then she would just have to drag him into the bed as well.

She had been laying there, absentmindedly stroking Tatsumi's side of the bed. Running her hand over the blankets and the pillows. Senses turned on to the max. Trying to sense the slightest part of his presence anywhere close by. But he did not come and her stroking slowly turned to clawing as her inner urges tried to find an outlet. As the time passed on the party grew louder and louder. Making it harder for her to detect if Tatsumi was near.

After laying in the bed for almost three hours she had clawed through the blanket,the pillows and the mattress. Only noticing the damaged she had caused when her nails started to carve into wood. Damaging the bedframe. She rose to sitting to position to look at the damage. She sighed. She wondered if this was something she suffered because of her strenght.

She knew that if a person got really frustrated they usually fought and destroyed. They found some way to vent their frustration. A way to get their release. But to her everything she hit broke like wet paper. Nothing withstood her force or will. She could level this entire building to the ground and it would still not give her anymore relief than a normal person would get from flexing one of their fingers.

And even so, she knew that she had a greater need for this than most others. A greater wish destroy. A greater urge to damage. Her enjoyment of these things were far larger than it was for most others.  
>But it meant little if she only felt like she was hitting air. She had to look far and wide to find the few people that didn't snap like twigs at her mere hostility. An even fever amount of those lasted long enough for her to get any real relief or satisfaction.<p>

The one person who could bring her relief efficiently was her lover and it seemed like he was avoiding her for the moment. Just a single one of Tatsumis labored, painridden screams gave her more than a whole day in the torture chambers with the northern warlord Numa Seika had. A single one of his sweet little mewls or whimpers of submission gave her more than a prison cell full of people begging and screaming for mercy. Yet when she was with him those urges often took a backseat to other needs that he awoke in her. Things expressed through far more gentle and far more caring actions.

Her partner. Her mate.

So. Why. Was. He. Not. Where. He. BELONGED!

She raised her hand to smash the bedframe to pieces but she stopped herself. Pausing for a moment, she sighed again.

She got up from the bed and walked over to the desk where Tatsumi had put his report. Anything to put her mind on a diffrent matter. She hadn't always been this easily frustrated by his absence. The first two times she lost him had been months apart and then she had been doing much better than this. The diffrence being that now she had made him hers already. He was now her partner and that had in some strange way made her need for him to be near her increase tenfold.

Maybe this kind of needy dependence could be interpreted as a weakness in itself but Esdeath didn't care. He was simply one of her primal needs now. Just like food and water. She would procure her solution to that need by any means necessary. Woe to all things that came in her way.

She sat down and opened the folder. Rummaging through the papers Tatsumi had written. It seems that he had been rather successfull in his mission. He had been able to not only find traces of where the Night raid had been but he had even managed to locate one of their old bases. She once again felt pride fill her chest. Of course he brought back good results. He was her partner after all.

However, she was and would probably always be, a better hunter. If he had been able to find the base then she herself could probably make out a lot more with a visit. Night raid usually made sure to cover up all their tracks but now they had confirmed that this had been their base once. That made things a lot diffrent.

She pulled a paper from a stack lying on the desk, dipped a pen in ink and wrote out her order in a far more elegant handwriting than Tatsumi's.

_**"Prepare a smaller garrison to accompany me tomorrow afternoon. I will venture to the east of the capital to personally investigate a trace of the vigilant group known as Night raid."**_

* * *

><p><strong>Author's note: <strong>

**There we go. The first two entries of Bent but not broken. These were both written in the same session but I choose to split them up since I do not wish for all the chapters to be so long. **I do want to be able to release these relatively regularly after all.** **

**English is not my native language so it takes me some time to iron these out. I have to reread and correct them a lot. And even then they still contain a lot of sloppy mistakes when I release them. But I'am getting better. I hope.**

**If everything goes as planned the next chapter will be released before christmas and then hopefully another one before the end of the year.**

**Thanks A LOT for reading. I hope you enjoyed it. I deeply appreciate all you who choose to favorite,follow or write a comment/review. Makes this experience even more fun for me.**

**Take care of each other and have a great day.**


	3. Diversions

**Now there is a deadline I barely passed. **

**Sorry for being a bit out in the last minute but this chapter grew out of control.**

* * *

><p><strong>Diversions.<strong>

The sun slowly started to shine in through the small room's only window. Creeping gradually over the floor. Steadily making its way to the boy sleeping on the sofa. As the first sunrays started to hit Tatsumi's face he was slowly brought back to conciouss after sleeping for almost eleven hours.

A bit disoriented, he rose to sitting position. The blanket sliding off him.

Ohh I really needed that, he thought and stretched his arms up in the air. But why am I...

OH NO. Oh no,no,no,no,no. His mind started to race.

Tatsumi felt panick rising in his chest. His breathing increasing in speed as adrenaline was released into his veins.

He had left her alone! He had fallen asleep and slept through the whole night when she was waiting for him. The situation had already been bad yesterday but now, now the direness of the situation might have increased tenfolded. She knew that he was in the city. She had made him well aware that she wanted to spend the night with him.

This was bad.

He threw his sword over his back and raced out of the shop. Not even bothering with saying goodbye to the owners. He raced through the streets towards the palace. His thoughts moving even faster.

Usually when he denied Esdeath something she wanted it only made her more playfull sides come out. Trying to find some way to get it. Making it into a small competition between the two of them. In the end she usually got what she wanted though. Either by actually outmaneuvering him or sometimes he simply teased her too much and she threw away the facade and easily overpowered him in any way relevant to the situation. Taking joy in the mere act of making him submit to her. Dominating him in any way she saw fit.

After his submission some sort of punishment usually followed. These were rarely anything serious but usually rather gentle and playfull things. Driven by mischievous affection more than any wish to harm him or make him learn a lesson.

The first six months he had lived with Esdeath she had treated him like a kitten. Completly unwilling to put him in risk of any harm. Not allowing him to get even the slightest of bruises. Afraid that something would happen to him now that he finally belonged to her. During those times she had only touched him as if he was made of glass. Afraid of hurting him in the slightest. Overprotective to the point of suffocation.

But as time passed she had slowly come to accept that her original stance had been the best one if she wanted him to become all that she wanted him to be. He needed to meet hardships to get stronger. She would have to accept that she needed to trust that he was strong enough to survive. As she originally had.

So she let him face dangers. Trusting in her instinct's premonitions that he was strong enough. She watched him survive challenge after challenge. Becoming stronger and stronger under her training. With time she even started to play with him herself. No longer afraid to hurt him a little bit. And when he endured her rougher treatment as well, she slowly, carefully began to hurt him for no other reason than pleasure.

Tatsumi had learned to live with those painful moments during their more intimate interactions. They were by nature playful and just another way for her to draw enjoyment from him. Rarely being anything that he would feel after a day or two. Esdeath herself usually demanding that he allow her to look after him and treat the bruises and wounds she had inflicted.

However there had been two times when she had actually felt like he had betrayed her in ways she would not tolerate. Those had been harsher.

Those times had not been playfull. Not a matter of intimacy between two lovers but rather Esdeath's desperate attempt to teach the one person she loved to not betray her again.

It was kinda pitiful in its own right, Tatsumi thought as he rushed through the streets. Heading for the main barrack of Esdeath's forces in the capital.

He wanted to believe that she hadn't liked that either. He wanted to believe that it was just desperation since she didn't know what else to do. He wanted to believe that she was afraid that the things she did to him actually would drive him further away. But he didn't know. For all he knew she might have been riding high on all the pain she gave him at those two occasions.

They rarely spoke of them. Esdeath avoided the subject as well. Maybe it was because it was the two only points in their relationship when he had seemed more like her pet than her lover, even between just the two of them. Tatsumi knew that she hated when that line was blurred. She felt that it degraded her love for him. This she had said to him herself.

Not that Tatsumi thought this situation would be that bad but he didn't want to take any chaces right now.

He reached the main barrack for Esdeath's forces. It was rather late in the morning so she might be here since the jaeger meeting probably was done by now. He jumped up the steps of the stairs to the entrance and rushed in through the door. Entering the reception. Without even looking around he shouted."I need to meet the general immediately."

He saw that the room was filled with about ten soldiers. Three of them were discussing something with the highest ranked officer in the room.

Tatsumi quickly realized, to his dismay, that the superior officer was the one of Esdeath's subordinates that he hated the most.

"Ah, look, the little boy toy has returned." Bellany exclaimed. Making every soldier in the room turn their head to him.

Bellany was about he same age as Tatsumi. She was rather beautiful in her own right. Having a long and lean body. Extremly well trained despite still having some rather elegant features. She had long dark-green hair tied up into a ponytail that almost reached her knees. She carried and filled up her uniform beautifully and was well aware of it.

Her combat proficiency and extreme good hand with military organizations had earned her a high place in Esdeath's army. Now being one of the general's closest councillors.

And she had always hated Tatsumi.

He himself was not sure as to why but he guessed that it steemed from his involvment with the revolutionary army. The truth however was a bit diffrrent. While his involvment in Night raid didn't help, the real reason for her resent was actually based in the that she found him unworthy.

She had worked so hard to rise in the imperial army. Sha had fought with everything she had to secure a position at Esdeath's side and she had to defend it all the time. Since Esdeath would let her fall from grace the moment she showed herself to be unworthy. Then out of nowhere, a former criminal gains a higher standing in Esdeath's esteem than anyone else in the entire imperial army. And not only that, he gained her complete protection and affection for doing absolutely nothing as far as Bellany could tell.

She found him completly unfit to be the lover of the general she had come to idolize and adore during her time in the imperial army. To Bellany, Esdeath was the epitome of a good leader. Strong,ruthless, kind and beautiful. Perfect. Tatsumi was just another vigilante who would and should have been dead long ago if it wasn't for her beloved leader's benevolence. He had even spoken against her at times. Defying the orders that were absolute to the rest of the army.

However, Bellany was convinced that Esdeath would tire of Tatsumi in the future. No longer finding him as enjoyable and then ultimately she would discard him. When this last little whim of hers had run it's course,Tatsumi would be thrown away and the wolfs of the empire would come and tear him screaming apart. Feasting on his remains. And she could not wait to see it happen.

Not that she woud ever mention this in Esdeath's presence. She knew that her opinions were irrelevant to Esdeath so she just bid her time. Careful to respect her leader's orders when it concerned her new little toy. But she had patiently and methodically tested the grounds and learned what Tatsumi would report to Esdeath. Slowly learning just how far she should try annoy and bother the young man.

"Do you long so much for the whip that you even can't leave our leader alone to do her job?" Bellany said condescendingly. Looking over at him.

Some of the soldiers laughed but most stayed silent. Unsure if it was wise to openly mock Tatsumi.

"I don't have time for this right now, Bellany." Tatsumi said in a calm yet irritated voice.

"Well unlike yourself, I actually have quite a lot of work I need to get done. So why should I waste my time answering an unlawful turncoats questions." she said. A irritated expression overtaking her mocking smile.

"Enough of this." Tatsumi said. He was in too much of a hurry to let Bellany get to him right now. "Tell me where Esdeath is or I will tell her that you prevented me from seeing her."

"**General** Esdeath is currently moving out from the western courtyard on her own initiative. She is heading out to investigate if you actually did your job, assasin."

She was about to ask him if that worried him but he immediately turned around and sprinted out of the room.

* * *

><p>It turned out that Esdeath hadn't left the capital yet and was still preparing to move out. Tatsumi reached the yard where attendants and stableboys were preparing equipment and horses for the party that was about to move out. When he saw that she wasn't there he ran to the path she would take if she walked from her own quarters to the courtyard. Hoping to intersect her.<p>

He finally did so in a long open hall that led from one wing of the inner castle to another.

Getting to her was more of a challenge though. The huge hall was filled with people that had come to see what was going on. Young noblemen and other members of the elite. Not having anything else to do with their time. Guards had been stationed to keep the crowd to the sides of the gigantic room while a big group of soldiers and officers walked through the hall.

He had to struggle to even get to a position where he could see the constellation move through the hall.

Finally he caught a glimpse of her. She was at the head of the assmeblage of military personnel. Leading the way forward. The group consisted of maybe fifty people as far as Tatsumi could see. Two thirds of it was soldiers from her own forces. Summoned for their specific abilities and roles within her army. The last third consisted of some of her pets. A varied bunch of people who had had the fortune or misfortune to catch her interest.

Some were warriors with certain skills or abilities that had pledged their life to her out of their own free will. Some were people she had given the choice of either serve her with their entire existence or she would end it.

And a few sad beings that had once been her opponents. People that she for one reason or another had decided to keep around.

They had once been strong and astounding enough to challenge her. Then she had tortured them to her full abilities. Breaking them over and over again. Until they had forgotten and abandoned everything that they believed in. And any reason as to why they opposed her. Now they only lived to try and make her happy with them. Doing anything in the world to just get some kind of approval. All pride, shame, self-esteem and morality burned away from them long ago. A display of how she dominated the mere memory of their existence.

They walked at the back of the column of people.

The highest officers of her forces gathered around Esdeath at the front, all vying for her attention. Currently a high ranked strategic officer was showing her a map and disscusing some deployments with her as they walked. Her eyes followed his gestures on the map. Answering his questions about orders and directives.

This was her in her natural element. This was where she bloomed. In all her terrifying beauty. Walking with the body of a fertility godess while carrying the aura of death itself. With her imposing uniform and sense of authority that the general's longcoat gave to those who wore it. Huge amounts of people following her, drawn to the power of her presence. Driven there by hope of gaining her favor or just by being afraid of her wrath.

An alpha creature among alpha creatures. Completly unmatched. Ruling through fear and power.

Why did she has to be so goddam strong?, Tatsumi thought as he watched her lead the group of warriors forward. He had since long realized that he would never be strong enough to change her. She was strong because of her beliefs and her beliefs made her able to survive almost anything.

"Esdeath!" He called out at the top of his lungs but his call was drowned out by the noise and buzz of the crowd that had gathered. Yet he still saw her eyes turn and meet his. A cold and annoyed expression on her face. But then she turned back to the strategic officer as they walked on.

Tatsumi was a bit baffled. This was a first.

Had she not seen him? No, that was impossible. She was able to feel his presence even when he used Incursio's invisibility. So why did she ignore him? Esdeath wasn't exactly the type to give the silent treatment. If she was displeased with you, she would make you painfully aware of it. Not trying to punish you by not interacting with you. Had she made arrangements for some other kind of punishment? Either way, Tatsumi did not like the insinuations.

He planted both his feet into the ground and jumped up over the crowd and the guards. Landing in the middle of the path that was cleared for Esdeath and her followers. Placing himself in the way of the whole procedure. Driven by something more than a wish for mere damage control. Although he didn't admit it to himself.

Her ice cold eyes meet his for a moment and then closed while she waved her right hand in the air. Looking slightly irritated.

"Tatsumi, get out of the way. I'm moving out with a-"

"I'm so, so sorry, Esdeath!" he exclaimed while looking her straight in the eyes. Trying to get all his genuine remorse to show through.

Esdeath stopped in her tracks. She still carried the same cold and slightly annoyed expression but now her eyes were drilling into him. She didn't say anything as Tatsumi returned her gaze. He was unsure if she expected him to say more or if she was contemplating what to do.

Everyone around her stayed silent. All of them were well tuned to her behaviour by now. They had all learned to know when they should try to speak to her and when they shouldn't. All of them waiting for a signal from her while the general kept staring at Tatsumi.

Finally she turned her gaze to the officer and spoke in her cold authorative voice.

"Leave us."

Without a single momement of hesitation the entire crowd behind her began to move on and started to leave. Even the guards that wasn't under her direct command started to push and force the gathered crowd to move out of the hall. Her complete authority showing through once again .

Tatsumi watched her retinue leave with unease. The military personal throwing him nasty glances. Some filled with anger, other with jaelousy and a few with pity. Her pets didn't even dare to raise their gaze to his face as they passed him. Tatsumi turned to watch the doors close behind the last of Esdeath's servants and warriors. He could feel her gaze burning into him from behind. Full of force and power but he could not determine the feelings behind it.

When the doors closed shut he directly turned around.

"Listen Esde-"

She moved at her full speed. After all the training and time he had spent with her, he was still unable to see her movements clearly when she gave it all she had. Her hand grabbed the collar of his coat and swung him around into the nearest wall and then lifted him up off the ground while pressing him against it.

However, Tatsumi directly noticed that the she hadn't smashed him into the wall to cause damage to him. Just to get him there. This collision was nothing to his well trained and hardened body and she knew it. That was a huge relief.

But goddamn this height diffrence. Tatsumi had grown during his months with her but he was still shorter than her. His eyes barely reaching her nose. Wich made this position way to natural. He dangled with his feet in the air. Trying desperatly to reach for the ground.

She moved close to him,putting her lips at his ear.

"Where were you last night,Tatsumi?"

He could feel her warm breath entering his ear canal. Her longcoat and hair obscured all the light from him and all he could smell was her. He felt like he was going to be swallowed whole.

"I'm sorry Esdeath, I swear I didn't mean to-" Tatsumi stammered.

"Where were you, Tatsumi?" she hissed into his ear. "I have an urge to destroy something or someplace."

"I was just too tired, Esdeath. I fell asleep in a sofa at some local restaurant when I was there to eat my dinner yesterday. They were kind enough to let me sleep through the night in their restaurant."

"Ohooo" she said. Her voice growing soft and charmingly sweet. A fact that completly terrified Tatsumi. That voice was the same she used on her victims in the torture chambers right before delivering the worst part. Sometimes she also used it when asking her dying opponents if they felt regret or if it hurt as she slowly killed them.

"So you chose a sofa in a small restaurant over me and my bed?" she whispered in his ear. Her free hand moved upp his leg. Clawing at his left buttock to then come to a rest at his lower back. Under his shirt. Ready to administer any kind of experience she thought he deserved.

"You know it wasn't a choice." he said. He was unsure of how angry she was and that made him bring up his best defenses just to be safe.

"Ohhh,but how could it not be,Tatsumi? It seems like a pretty clear one to me." she whispered in that flirtasious voice that made the hair on his back rise. Esdeath could feel it with her hand and drew a certain satisfaction from it but he was not getting away that easily.

She had supressed all her longing and needs so that she could perform without distractions today and then he just had to come and place himself right in her path. Offering himself to her. There was a limit to what temptations she could withstand.

He stammered on. "Come on Esdeath, you know that is unfair. I-"

"Tatsumi."

"...eh?"

"You smell of another woman." she said,revealing what her instincts had told her since she got close to him. Not really worried about his loyalty in this matter, she mainly just wanted to get a cute reaction from him.

"Yes the owners of the bar put a blanket on me and I guess that it had been used by some woman before me and that-" he stammered at a much more panicked and faster voice. Not disappointing her expectations.

"Shut up" she whispered. Stopping him mid-sentence. Her mouth was half open beside his ear. She wanted to bite him. She wanted to nibble on his cute ear.

She was about to do just that when he suprised her. His arm shoot out and wrapped around her back. Hugging her hard. Pulling his limp hanging body into hers. Closing the small gap between them.

He talked in a much calmer voice."You know I love you. I have duties just as you. You admitted so yesterday. Those duties took the energy I needed to be with you last night. Sorry."

"That was weak of you, Tatsumi." she returned. Not giving away how much she loved the feeling of him pressed close to her.

"Maybe, but I will get stronger!" He knew how much she loved hearing him pledge his growth to her.

"Yes. Yes you will." she said. The hand on his back started pressing him into her. Her fingers slowly creeping down past the belt of his pants. She was about to grab his behind when she suddenly froze.

Her head rose to watch one of the huge closed doors that she had entered the hall through.

"Tchh" she clicked irritated with her tongue. She let him down on the ground. Planted one hand on the wall on the left side of his head, right above his shoulder and turned to watch the door. Still possesivly holding her arm over him.

"Esdeath?" Tatsumi said. Then the huge doors she was watching opened. Pressed open by a single figur. Lazily walking into the room.

Tatsumi recognized the man even if he didn't know his name. He was the the ragged man that had been sitting beside Esdeath at the assembly yesterday. A man looking to be in his late twenties, having brown-gray hair and carrying a tattered and torn piece of clothing that reached down to the floor. Parts of it dragging on the ground behind him.

"Ohh sorry. I hope that I'm not interrupting something." general Makeias said. Giving the pair a smile that was everything but sorry.

"I think you can asses the situation well without my guidance." Esdeath said. Scowling at the approaching man. Not even giving him the slightest shadow of forgivness for interrupting her.

"And I think your instincts are good enough to warn you that you are walking into a dangerous situation."

Tatsumi could almost feel himself starting to sweat as Esdeath started to radiate hostility. It emanated so strongly from her that, even though it was all directed away from him ,it still made him feel presssured. Yet the man calmly kept walking towards them as his steps echoed through the empty hall. Completly unfazed ,to Tatsumi's suprise.

The fact of the matter was that Makeias was everything but unfazed, even if he knew how to hide it. His instincts were much more finely attuned than Tatsumi's and they all screamed at him to flee. He felt sweat run down his spine. But he would have been dead many times over if he didn't know how to keep a calm mind when heavily pressured.

And the general had learned early on that if you showed a predator that you were bleeding,it would come for you faster. And this was a predator if he had ever seen one.

"My instincts tell me a lot of things. Doesn't mean that I always listen" he said with a grin. Calmly looking right at Esdeath as he confidently moved closer. "I heard that you were moving out on a short notice so I came to discuss some troop placements with you before you leave."

Tatsumi still had no idea who this man was. But he was about to have the blunt force of all of Esdeath's built up frustration smashed right into him if this went on.

The man walked up until he was just a few meters from them both. "Shall we go, general Esdeath?". He gestured towards the giant doors leading to the outer yard.

She stared at him for a couple of seconds. Then she sighed. "I will be right there, general Makeias."

Tatsumi felt his jaw drop. The other general smiled and started walking to the door. Tatsumi did not have time to further connect the dots before Esdeath pressed him into the wall with her body, sealing his mouth with hers. This time the kiss they shared was a bit calmer than last time though. More driven by longing and passion than hungry lust.

After a moment she moved her mouth a few centimeters back. Her forehead resting aginst his. With her eyes closed she whispered to him, "I will return before sunfall. Don't you dare to leave me alone again tonight."

"I promise that I won't." he whispered back. "And I really am sorry."

She leaned in and sniffed his hair one last time before pushing him back into the wall with one hand. Then she turned and walked away to the door and the waiting general.

Makeias held up the door for her which she passed through without so much as looking at him. Right before the doors were about to close,general Makieas turned and looked at Tatsumi for the first time since he interrupted them. A smile spreading across the older mans face before the doors closed.

* * *

><p>The gathering of people that had been waiting for Esdeath in the next room once again had to take a backseat. Walking 10 meters behind the two generals as they walked to the yard where the horses had been prepared. This time they did it more humbly than they had with Tatsumi though. Uncertain about anything about this new man except his rank.<p>

The two generals walked silently until Esdeath spoke.

"I used to think that the ruthlessness your campaigns has displayed actually concealed a strategic cunning. But now I wonder if maybe you're just reckless and lucky." she said. Her voice as cold as her ice.

"Neither the empire or history will care."he answered." And frankly, I think it was a pretty easy call to make that you wouldn't strike out at a fellow general just because he interrupted your moment with your lover. I know you have strange standards but I remember you as being rather intelligent."

You would be suprised at how close you were there, Esdeath thought.

"And besides, I know the rumors about your strenght." Makeias went on. "I can even imagine that they are justified. But I won't die just by you lashing out at me."

"I can be quite thorough with my punishments general. That you can trust." Esdeath said, keeping her gaze forward. Not looking at the other general and his smiles.

They had reached the yard which was now filled with people. Stableboys and servants that were readying the horses and the equipment. The warriors and trackers that had been chosen to accompany Esdeath and lots and lots of noblemen and politicians who had come to see Esdeath leave. Uncertain of where she was going.

"Ohh? I thought that you had become kind of sloppy in that field these days." Makeias said. Referring to her latest visits to the torture chambers.

Esdeath turned her head and stared him right in the eyes. Her expression filled with controlled anger. "Careful general. You can't always save yourself with pretty words and wits."

"Sure I can. It's just a matter of the right words at the right time." Makeias answered in a relaxed voice.

She stopped. You pushed your luck to far at the wrong time, Esdeath thought. She turned around to him and smiled. One of her free hands resting comfortably on the hilt of her rapier.

"Now that I think about it, I have never seen you in combat, pillager." She said in a gentle voice. Nothing like her cold and disdainful demeanor some seconds ago.

General Makeias flinched slightly at that name. Clearly uncomfortable with both the name and the direction this conversation was going. Had he made a mistake?

"I think it is important that people of our rank keep our skills in good conditions and the best way to do that is to constantly challenge yourself." She called out. Loud enough for everyone in the yard to hear. "What do you say,general Makeias? How about a friendly sparring match tomorrow. Just between you and me."

The whole yard grew silent in a second. Everybody was now watching Makeias.

Esdeath's smile got a more menacing tone to it. Got you, she thought. Either back down and the whole capital will know that your big act is only a show before the day is over. Or accept and give me a chance to show you why you should have been more respectfull with me.

The other general didn't turn over to her directly. Silently looking up at the sky with a solemn face. He stood so for almost 5 seconds but then he turned to her. A relaxed smile slowly forming on his face.

Yes,Esdeath thought. Give it to me.

"Sure Esdeath. I have seen you fight before but it could be fun to see how much you have grown during my time at the borders." he said in a calm voice that didn't betray any of his emotions. "One condition though."

"Hmm?" Esdeath raised an eyebrow.

"We will fight without using our Teigus. We don't want to cause too much collateral damage after all."

"I'm fine with that." she answered.

"Then I accept your challenge, Esdeath."

Esdeath tilted her head up an laughed without warmth or kindness. The people in the yard that were a part of her forces started to smile. They knew this laugh. Their leader had just gotten some new entertainment.

"But that is for tomorrow." general Makeias said. Unperturbed by her reaction. Drawing out a folder of papers from under his coat. "There were some troop positionings we need to discuss before you leave."

"Of course." Esdeath said. Suddenly in a much better mood.

* * *

><p>To the far east of the capital the smaller garrison that Esdeath had brought with her was setting up a parameter around the old Night raid base. Esdeath was kind of suprised at how desolate it's surroundings were. She had expected them to hide in towns or villages. Trying to hide among other people. But this was basically in the middle of nowhere. She guessed that they needed the isolation to be able to train their abilities properly.<p>

She was instructing her second in command about how she wanted the area searched when she suddenly stopped herself in the middle of a sentence. She turned to a small grove close to them. Not a hundred meters away. A mocking and questioning expression formed on her face. As if to say "Really?".

"General?"

"Go and see that my orders are done. I will be investigating these visitors." She answered and started to walk over to the trees.

"What visitors?" the man asked but Esdeath simply waved a hand at him and he immediately walked off. Knowing better than to question her.

"I have already noticed you. Come out or you will regret it." She called out as she kept walking towards the bushes. One hand resting on her weapon.

After a moment , two people shuffled out of the bushes. A brown haired girl with a bow around her body and a blond boy with a spear behind his back. Both seemed to be really nervous.

"Do you know who I am?" Esdeath asked as she walked towards them.

"No,ma'am." The boy spoke up loudly."But I can see that you are an imperial army official."

"So why did you hide then?" Esdeath asked. She had now reached them and stopped just a meter infront of them.

"We did not expect to see he imperial army around these parts. We thought it wise to hide, since some kind of battle maybe was about to commence." the girl spoke up.

Things have turned really bad,Maria thought. They had just arrived an hour before this to investigate the Night raid base and see if they could find anything. Leone had went into the base itself while they had been set to scout the surroundings. Now just ten minutes past they had seen the imperial force approach and had gone into hiding.

Why were the empire here? And not just a small garrison but Esdeath herself. None of the two young revoulutionary agents had ever seen Esdeath before but they had been briefed about her many times before. It was not hard to recognize her from the descriptions. Which meant that they were in serious trouble, Maria thought.

"Then why were you here in the first place?" Esdeath demanded shifting her cold gaze to the girl.

Really careful now, Maria thought. One wrong word could mean their deaths right now.

"We were out hiking and just happened to come across this place right before you arrived. It was pure chance."

This was extremely bad luck, she tought. If she had been on her own she might have been able to hide since she was specialized in assasination but Rori was mainly a warrior and a tracker. He was not trained to conceal his presence.

"I can see that you are carrying hiking equipment. I will now ask you about your destination on this hiking trip. You will answer at the exact same time when I count to three." Esdeath said.

"We are heading to village two miles west of her to visit our grandparents" they answer in perfect unison after the countdown. Trained to be able to handle this kind of questioning.

"Do you have any kind of identification with you?" Esdeath asked.

"Of course." Rori said. Pulling up a pamplet and handing it over. Esdeath started to read through it. One hand still resting on the rapier.

"As you can see we really just passed here by chance. We have no ulterior motive. You can go back to conducting wathever operation you have going here and we will just move on wi-"

"No." Esdeath interrupted. Not looking up from the pamplet.

That single word made both of the revolutionary agents feel a deep shiver run down their backs. The atmosphere was extremly tense.

"Excuse me?" Rori said. His voice filled with uncertainty.

"You won't be leaving anytime soon." Esdeath said while flipping over another page in the pamplet.

"But why? Maria asked.

Esdeath closed the pamplet and looked up at them. "Partly because of your stances. You look like you have had military training yet your identification says nothing about it. If you actually have been trained by the imperial military then I see no reason as to why you were hiding. That, plus the fact that I haven't seen a single person for miles and then when we come here, there are to people hiding in wait for us. It's too big of a coincidence. Especially considering that one of you is trained to conceal your presence."

"Excuse me, ma'am, but that is nothing more than a hunch. You are overreacting." Rori said. Now starting to feel the desperation set in for real.

"I have bereft people of their freedom for far smaller things." Esdeath said. Looking bored. " I will have you questioned more thoroughly at a diffrent location, when I'm done here."

"That is simply unreasonable." Maria shouted.

"Your opinion is not in my intrests." Esdeaths said. Reaching out to Rori with the pamplet, handing it back."If you are unable to oppose my will then you simply have to live under it."

Rori reached out to grab the identification but at the last moment he instead grabbed Esdeath's wrist. With lightning speed he turned his body sideways. Taking a stance to use his body to throw her. He figured that she had to be freakishly strong if the rumors were true. Any attack that didn't use his entire body would probably not affect her.

But as he shifted the weight of his body, Esdeath reacted. Delivering a backhanded slap with the hand he was holding straight into his chest. Sending him flying a good ten meters.

Maria had made the same judgement as her boyfriend. If they were going to escape, it was now or never. However, they needed to somehow slow the general down or their chances of getting away would be small. If they could just damage her in some way, their immediate future would look a lot brighter. They didn't need to beat her. Just clip her wings.

When she saw Rori grab Esdeath's wrist she immediately started to crouch while reaching down for the knife tied to the lower part of her thigh. Ready to launch herself forward, aiming for one of Esdeath's legs.

However, when Esdeath smashed Rori away with her right hand she raised her left leg up at a speed Maria was not able to react to. Much less avoid. Esdeath then smashed her heel down on her leg in a horrible stomping motion. Splintering all the bones in Maria's knee while simultaneously forcing the knife Maria was about to draw deep into her calf. A terrible side effect of Maria's crouching position.

"Giiinnnh!". Maria immediately silenced her own scream with an tremendous effort of willpower. She had never felt this level of pain before. She was about to fall down but Esdeath grabbed her right hand with an iron grip while looking at Rori. Leaving Maria hanging from that arm.

The young man had alreay gotten up. His long training in the revolutionary army making him able to soften his own fall. Even when it was unexpected. He had readied his spear and was in a position to launch forward at her.

"The next time you try to attack me I will kill before you can even realize what is happening." Esdeath said. She bared her teeth at him in a feral smile. Filled with joy but without a trace of kindness or sympathy.

Rori felt like he was being pressed into the ground by her mere gaze. Her aura had completly changed. Suddenly it was all to apparent to the boy that he had been a fool to think that he could cause any serious damage to this opponent. This was a huge mistake.

Esdeath slowly turned her smile to the girl who's arm she was holding. Maria felt waves of fear and panick wash over her as Esdeath's eyes settled on her. But she did not show it. She only scowled at the general, unwilling to show any weakness.

Esdeath's expression did not change as she slowly moved her free hand to the one of Maria's she was holding. Looking the other girl straight in the eyes as she slowly started to open up her hand with her own while keeping the wrist in an iron hold. Taking joy in watching as Maria realized what was about to happen.

She slowly opened up the other girl's hand. Barely even noticing the resistance as Maria tried to keep her hand closed. She grabbed Maria's index finger and started to slowly bend it backwards.

"Stop that!" Rori shouted but was interrupted by an audible crack as Esdeath broke the upper joint of Maria's index finger.

Maria used all of her willpower to supress any reaction from showing. With her already heavily damaged leg that was no easy task but she refused to let the general know how much she was hurting.

"Ohh so you are just going to stand there and watch as I slowly break your comrade." Esdeath said with an intrigued voice. Her eyes not leaving Maria's face.

Rori felt himself losing what little calm he had left. "Bastard, don't you dare-" Crack.

Another sickening crunch was heard as Esdeath crushed another one of Marias fingers. She looked at the boy. Smiling.

"..or else what?"

"Demon" he roared. Starting to move forward.

"Stop!" he immedialy stopped as Maria's panicked voice reached him. Feeling misery fill his heart as he watched his lover's painridden face.

"Don't do it. She will just kill you. Please don't do it." her voice suddenly filled with fear and panick as she could feel how close her boyfriend was to his doom. "Please, Rori. Just run away. Leave me here. Just run. Please."

The young man's only respond was to take another step forward.

Maria, now feeling she had no options left, turned to Esdeath.

"Please don't do it." she said. Abandoning all her resolve in a desperate attempt to save Rori's life. Tears now running down her face as she begged the ice cold eyes of the imperial general.

"Please! I beg you. I submit. Please don't kill him. You don't have to! I wil-" Crack.

Esdeath bent Maria's middle finger so far back that the skin almost tore.

And Maria screamed. A long shrill scream filled with pain and fear. Esdeath's eyelids moved down slightly. She was clearly enjoying the reaction.

Rori screamed with rage and launched himself forward. Fully accepting that this might be his last moment in life. His scream was however overpowered by far louder,fiercer and more bestial roar.

Esdeath had to let go of Maria in order to jump a couple of meters back as Leone's fist smashed into the spot she had previously been standing in. Smashing the ground to pieces. Creating a small dust cloud.

"Ahh, finally a face I recognize." Esdeath said, smiling. One hand on her cap and the other one resting on her still sheated weapon.

"I am suprised at just how much of a psycopath you are everytime I see you." Leone said while rising up from the impact. "You disgust me." She spat to the side.

"Looks like this kitten is in need of some taming." Esdeath said while slowly drawing her rapier. "No worry, I will train you thoroughly."

"Rori, take Maria and run. Now!" Leone said while keeping her eyes locked on the ice queen.

"Tatsumi might have given me a better gift than he knew himself." Esdeath mused as she slowly started to walk towards Leone.

Had this all been a trap?, Leone thought. It seemed unlikely but if Tatsumi only had been visiting this place as a bait then maybe. That would however require that Tatsumi had been able to tell that he had been spotted. The empire's strongest general would not waste her time if they didn't know if they had a chance to catch someone. Anyway, now was not the time for pondering. Leone,conculded casting a glance over her shoulder.

Rori has managed to lift up Maria after dislodging her own knife from her calf. Looking at Leone with uncertainty.

"Go! Head for the second meet-up point. And don't look back!" she roared.

Rori gave her one last emotion-filled look before dashing of. Holding Maria close to his chest.

When did I get so soft-hearted,Leone thougth with a smile as she gave her subordinates one last glance. It's funny. This is why I always said that having attendants would be a bother, she thought. I knew that it would end like this. But now that the moment is here, I actually don't feel too bad about it. Leone turned her eyes to Esdeath.

"Alright, lets do this,you icy,love-stealing, sadistic piece of shit. Il be damned if I can't get one hit and ruin that beautiful face of yours before this is over" Leone screamed with a defiant smile.

Esdeath continued her steady approach. Being in no hurry at all. "Ahh, I like your attitude." she calmly answered."I will enjoy slowly tearing down your defiance until there is nothing left of who you once was."

Leone planted both of her feet into the ground and launched herself forward with all her might. Creating a cloud behind her as dirt was blown up in the air as she flew against her awaiting opponent.

* * *

><p>Tatsumi was a bit suprised when he entered Makeias's chambers. He had expected something along the lines of Esdeath's chambers. Extravagant and luxurious. With every little thing you could ever wish for within an arm's reach.<p>

Since Makeias shared Esdeath's rank Tatsumi had expected that his living quarters would be the same. Yet when he opened the door and walked in he was meet with a large empty room without curtains or furniture. Boxes was stacked in high piles all over the room and five people were busy lifting said wooden and cardboard boxes around.

The men were some of the largest humans Tatsumi had ever seen. Not especially muscular. Somewhat gagnly actually. But they had to be almost three meters long each. They all carried imperial uniforms but he did not recognize what legion they were from. He assumed they belonged to Makeias's personal forces.

He walked up to the one closest to him. "Excuse me soldier, I am searching for general Makeias. Do you know where I can find him?"

The huge man looked down at him for a couple of seonds before pointing towards a double door at the far side of the big room with an extremly long and small finger. Still not saying a word.

"Thank you." Tatsumi said and walked of while the man continued to stare at him for a while.

He walked up the door and knocked. After waitning for fifteen seconds without an answer he knocked again." Tatsumi of the jaegers reporting in! I'm searching for general Makeias."

"Enter." a silent and monotone voice answered from the other side of the door.

Tatsumi walked in to the room and was met with a sight not too unlike what he just came from. The huge room seemed to be some sort of study.

The wall right in front of him were lined with long windows. adorned with black curtains. The wall to his left were made up of bookshelves. Filled with everything from modern cookbooks to old dusty tomes. The wall to his right was covered with the largest map Tatsumi had ever seen. It had to be at least 8 meters high and just as wide. It was a map of the empire and the bordering countries. It was covered in notes and attached papers written in a language that Tatsumi couldn't read.

The room itself still lacked any furnitur though. Except for a wooden coat hanger on the left side of the door he just passed through. A single dirty and destoyed piece of clothing hanged from it. A general's longcoat. This room was also filled with piles and stacks of boxes of diffrent sizes. Just as the room he came from.

In the middle of the room sat the person he was looking for with his side turned to him. He was sitting on a cardboard box at a table made up several other boxes. Three stacks of papers where lined up on the makeshift table along with two books. The general himself was busy writing something down in one of them. Not even looking up as Tatsumi entered the room.

"Tatsumi reporting,sir." He called out and stood in attention.

He didn't get an answer for a couple of seconds. He was starting to wonder if Makeias had heard him when the general finally answered. "At ease, Tatsumi. Titles means little right now."

Tatsumi waited for Makeias to continue but he didn't. He hadn't even looked up from the book he was writing since Tatsumi entered the room. Tatsumi choose to wait for his host to take the first step since he had been invited here. As the seconds of silence turned into minutes Tatsumi became more and more convinced that he was being mocked in some subtle way.

It wouldn't be the first time a high ranked military commander tried to annoy him. Many times before had Tatsumi noted how some army officials tried to express their disdain for him in ways that they could get away with. Making him wait longer than the lowest ranked soldiers or forcing the most pathetic and insulting tasks on him.

Frankly it baffled Tatsumi how these commanders, people who had enough achievments to be put in positions where they were responsible for many peoples lives, suddenly turned to school yard bullies when they had to work with him. Doing everything they could to make Tatsumi's day worse but not too much. Trying to stay far enough within their juristdictions so that they could hide behind reasonable excuses,should they attract Esdeath's attention. It was nothing more than pathethic to him.

Not that he would have needed Esdeath's help to deal with most of them. Tatsumi strenght had grown at an increasing pace under Esdeath's training. He was pretty sure he could have easily defeated half of these naggers had it come down to combat.

However, he needed to not wear on Esdeath's patience. Not yet. He coud probably get away with crippling or killing one or two of these army officials but after a while Esdeath would be forced to restrain him somehow. And that could ruin everything at this point. For even if Tatsumi grew stronger by the day, he still didn't match the rate of Esdeath's insane power growth.

No, he needed to save all the leeway he could with her for the months to come. He might come to need all the patience she had with him later.

And if truth be told he didn't care much about it anyway. He had abandoned most of his pride and self-esteem when he accepted Esdeath, 18 months ago.

He still was a bit uncertain about this situation though. He did not think that a general ranked warrior would be as afraid of Esdeath and if this morning was any indication, Makeias was not. Tatsumi felt that deserved both his respect and his pity. He finally choose to break the silence.

"Why did you call me here,general."

"Il explain in a minute." the older man said.

"What are you writing?" Tatsumi asked. Unwilling to let the awkard silence take back control now that he finally had broken it.

Once again his answer took some seconds to come. "I have been away from the capital for almost three years. During that time I have gained strength,power and wisdom. But now that I return to the capital I find that it has changed quite a bit as well. The game has changed and I need to learn the new rules." The general finally put his pencil down.

"So you could say that I am.. testing the waters." The general closed the book and smiled at Tatsumi. "With ink and paper for now. Soon in more direct ways."

He put two fingers in his mouth whistled out a piercing tone. In two seconds the door behind Tatsumi opened and one of the giant men filled the frame of it.

Makeias threw the book he had just been writing in, which the large man catched with a long and thin arm.

"Leave nothing but ashes." Makeias said. Looking at his subordinate. Without a word the huge man turned and closed the door behind him.

Tatsumi remained still.

Makeias rose from his box. He was about a head taller than Tatsumi. Without that destroyed longcoat he didn't actually look all that shabby, Tatsumi reflected. His hair looked like a birds nest, sure, but otherwise he was tall, rather lean and wore his uniform with the authority that befit his rank. He still looked tired though. Like he hadn't slept for days.

"Can I offer you a drink? I do have some rather fine liquors I got a hold of during my campaings at the borders. They are here somewhere." He looked around at the many boxes.

"Yeah,sure." Tatsumi answered. Not wishing to refuse the hospitality.

"Well then, give me a moment. Take a seat... or rather a box." He said with a gesture to the rest of the room.

Tatsumi took down a box from one of the piles and sat down on it beside the "table". "You have some rather big subordinates moving your things in the other room." He commented.

"A strange kind of people to be sure." Makeias answered as rummaged through some of the boxes in search for the alcohol."They don't speak much, have tremendous instincts and are far more agile than their big forms would have you believe. They are from some sort of nomadic tribe who held no allegiances and lived of the land. Sadly, I burned said land. As you might have heard."

"There are few in the capital who hasn't at this point." Tatsumi answered dryly. He was not sure about the circumastances around the military campaigns that had made Makeias so well-known. So he didn't want to be too quick to judge.

"We destroyed the fields, burned the forests and I let my forces consume all the wildlife. Most of the villages and cities that came in our path met the same fate. But this nomadic tribe had no allegiance to any nation. So I gave them the alternative to join my forces or live the rest of their short lifes trying to scratch their living from ashes and bones. And most of them actually choose to live and let bygones be bygones. A choice I am sure you can relate to."

Tatsumi looked at the general's back as he searched through yet another box. Unsure if that last part had been meant as a jab at him. "Refusing to face defeat **at any cost** is surely a mindset we both can relate to." he answered. Trying to see if this was a prickly man he was dealing with.

"Surely" Makeias agreed without looking up."But I have seen Esdeath's forces myself. She also has some rather interesting followers. Many whom I would not consider to be human. Aha!"

He rose with a dusty bottle filled with a dark brown liquid.

"They actually make this from moldy fruits. Humans are so goddam crafty. It never seizes to amaze me." He walked over to the table made of boxes and sat down on his own box. He pulled up two mugs from a yet another box that was placed next to his "chair". Filling up both mugs with a generous amount of the liquor. Tatsumi took a sniff and winced. He had drunk strong alcoholic beverages before but this smelled like fire made into liquid.

"It burns away all regret and shame. For a while." Makeias said as he sipped on his own mug. "Something I think we both could need."

"Is this what you used to burn the forests?" Tatsumi joked.

Makeias smiled at him. "If you have lived with Esdeath, you should know that nothing makes you feel more alive than the things that kill you."

Tatsumi was starting to become a bit more uncertain of the situation. Was this man trying to get information from him?

"Why did you invite me over, general?"

"Many reason. Mainly because your story is quite unique." Makeias answered without looking at Tatsumi.

"Is this about Esdeath, general?"

Makeias smiled at Tatsumi. "Do you love her, Tatsumi?"

Tatsumi was about to categorize this man as just another one of the many men who wished they could charm the ice queen. Not recogizing the consequences of both their attempts and what their success would actually lead to. But there was that shrewd smile that the general so often wore. He looked as if he knew something nobody else did. As if that information made the whole world more entertaining.

"Esdeath is my partner. In all sense of the word." he said. Delivering his usual answer.

"That is not what I asked about." Makeias said.

"And you didn't give me a direct answer as to why you summoned me."

The general chuckled. "Well, you have an attitude that I guess in some ways could match Esdeath's at times. But thats about it."

Makeias drank the rest of the content of his mug in one swig. "And that is why you are here Tatsumi. I have a feeling that you are nothing like her. Which piqued my interest."

"Hmm?" Tatsumi looked over at him.

"I think we can help each other a bit, Tatsumi. Me with my vast influence and power and you with your very peculiar position."

Now this was a game that Tatsumi knew how to play. Maybe this was a opportunity after all.

"What do you want from me then?" He answered. Sipping a bit from his mug as the general was refilling his own.

"Nothing. For now. I simply want to establish an affiliation between the two of us. A lot of things are going to change soon. When those starker times come, I want us to be able to cooperate to reach our diffrent goals." Makeias looked at Tatsumi. His gaze filled with anticipation.

Hearing the general talk about changes made Tatsumi a bit wary. If he knew anything about the plan then he wouldn't have offered him an alliance. He could just have blackmailed me or outright killed me without much risk, Tatsumi reasoned. Then had this man have his own plans of changing the empire? Was this an ally in disguise? Or a very dangerous opponent?

"And what is your goal, general?"

"What is yours?" Makeias returned.

"I want to stop the conflict between that has been ravaging this country as soon as possible by stopping the revolutionary army. This nation's people have bled enough." It was his usual answer to that question. The best lies always had a bit of truth in them.

"You do realize that your partner is the one of the greatest enabler of the scenario you want to avoid. Just by being close to her you reek of death."

"I assure you that you carry the same smell of despair and decay with you, general." Tatsumi answered with a cold tinge in his voice.

Makeias smile changed character a bit. "I guess I do."

He took another gulp from his mug. "Either way, Tatsumi. My instincts tell me that there is a lot more to you. That is why I want you to think of me as an ally in the months to come. Come to me if you need help. Be it information, favours or discreet assistance."

"And in return?" Tatsumi asked.

"There will be a price each time. Your request will dictate how steep it will be."

"Ok then, lets try it," Tatsumi said. Turning to the great map that covered one of the walls. " Why is there a note attached to that village?" he asked and pointed.

"Because it is the village you come from, Tatsumi. As you well know." Makeias answered bluntly.

Tatsumi studied the note but he didn't even recognize a single letter.

"What language is it written in?" he asked.

"Don't bother. There are few who speak it now and even fewer who can read it. The last tribes who used the language were destroyed during my last campaign. Regrettably."

"What does the note say?"

Makeias only smiled at him. "Are you going to request information for the third time without even asking about the price of it."

Tatsumi hesitated. "What is the price?"

"None this time. Next time there will be one though." Makeias rose from his box. " Let's finish this for now. I have work to do and I am sure Esdeath will be returning pretty soon."

Tatsumi was well aware that the general was avoiding his last question but he didn't think he would be able to get anything more out from him for now. He rose as well.

"I hope we will be seeing each other soon again. If you don't come to me, I might send for you myself sooner or later. I also have things to gain from this."

The general reached out a hand to Tatsumi. Tatsumi grabbed it firmly with his own. For a brief moment,Tatsumi could feel his entire body reject the sensation of the other man's hand. As if it was damaging him. Then in the blink of an eye, the sensation was gone. Tatsumi choose to ignore it.

He started to walk towards the door. A bit unsure of what this meant in the bigger scheme. He decided that he would have to wait and see how this general would react when everything was set in motion. If worst come to worst he could probably send Esdeath after him. She would be itching for a fight of that scale so it probably wouldn't be that hard to get some kind of conflict started. Especially if the general revealed any plans to him that would not be beneficial to the empire.

"One more casual question, general Makeias."

"Speak."

He turned to the general. "You have been in the capital for two weeks from what I have heard. So why the boxes?"

"Old habits die hard. Even now, when I havn't been in the fields for over a month, I still like to be completly mobile. So that I can leave with everything I want at a moments notice. Should anything _unfortunate_ happen."

Tatsumi nodded. Not fully sure what the general was insinuating."I will see you soon again,general. Let me just give you a friendly advise before I leave. When Esdeath's gaze settles upon you, roll over. Trying to defy her will inevitably lead you to misery."

Makeias simply nodded at Tatsumi as he left.

Yeah that is what I believed as well,the general thought as he watched the young man walk out of the doors. But during the assembly yesterday I found a weakness. _And that changes everything._

Makeias looked at the huge map for a couple of minutes and then walked over to the door. Opening it and shouting at his subordinates.

"I want things to be prepared before tomorrow morning."

* * *

><p>Tatsumi pushed his way through the crowd of people in order to get to the front line. He needed to be there for when Esdeath returned. He needed her to see that he was sorry for last night.<p>

It had been announced that Esdeath had returned when her garrison was spotted from the outer city gate. From there it would take quite a long time to reach the one of the outer courtyards where she was expected.

Even so, the amount of people that had gathered to watch it was insane. He had to elbow his way through commoners,noblemen,military and finally representatives of Esdeath's own army. It took him five minutes to just get to the front lines and even then he was pretty sure he was only allowed to keep his position because the people who had come to see Esdeath knew who he was.

As soon as he managed to breath out a bit, the gates to the yard opened and the caravan of riders moved in. Spearheaded by Esdeath upon one of her white steeds. A wild creature, Tatsumi knew from experience. Esdeath always choose the most feisty and strong-willed creatures as her steeds. Crushing and bending their will to her command for sport.

As she rode closer to the waiting mass of people it became apparent that she actually had something being dragged on the ground behind her. Tied by a rope to the saddle. As the riders came to a halt it became apparent that it was a person being dragged behind the horse. A murmur went through the audience.

Tatsumi sighed. No matter how many times he had to watch his lover do these things he never got used to it. Nor did he think he ever would or should. But his resolve had gotten strong enough for him to be able to act as it didn't bother him. A long time ago.

Stableboys and attendants immediately rushed up and held her horse as she gracefully got off.

He could tell that she had enjoyed the ride.

It was not always easy to tell but he had learned to read the signs. When Esdeath was indulging in her love for fighting and dominating she usually moved with a bit more swagger than normal. Swinging her hips a bit more and being more keen to flaunt what she got. Even though she never thought that much about it, Esdeath was well aware of how beautiful she was.

She had always liked to show off but during times like these she often started doing it on a more basic level as welll. He wasn't even sure if she was aware that she was doing it.

"I have returned to the capital." She announced to the waiting crowd. Receiveing applauds and cheers.

Tatsumi noticed how the person that had been dragged on the ground moved slightly. Poor bastard, he thought. At least he could have had the fortune to hit his head on a rock early on so that he didn't have to experience the whole ride. It was actually rather amazing that he was alive at all.

"..and I have brought a defeated member of the Night raid with me."

The applauds and cheers turned into a deafining roar of approval from the audience.

Tatsumi felt his breathing stop. He looked over to the body. The person slowly turned her head over. Making Tatsumi able to see the ears on her head. _Oh gods no..._

Her body and clothes had been so mangled and destroyed by the ride that he hadn't been able to even recognize her. Lionelle's extreme regenration capabilities had however started to get Leone back to a somewhat recognizable apperance now. Almost. Her arms and legs were wrapped in chains but her body was too damaged and broken to have any chance of even breaking a thread.

Esdeath slowly walked over to Leone to the sound of shouts and cheers. Smiling a satisfied smile at the broken form. "Did you enjoy the ride, criminal? I know that the eastern roads are a bit bumpy and rough but you seem to have managed."

She let Leone keep her teigu on so that she wouldn't die from the ride,Tatsumi realized. Keeping her barely alive through the whole journey. Tatsumi felt sicker than he had in a long while.

Esdeath reached down and grabbed Leone's head. Lifting her up until their eyes were at the same level. "What happened to all that spunk you had earlier. You can't be tired already? We haven't even started talking yet." she said mockingly in a concerned voice.

Leone mumbled something inaudible. Too weak to even form a sentence. Esdeath looked at her face with satisfaction. "But I must say your face was rather pretty. Not anymore though."

It's happening again, Tatsumi thought. Despairing. Just like it had with Mine. His plan had gone horribly wrong. Why had Esdeath met Leone? He had even gone through all the trouble of checking that the base he informed the capital about was deserted. What had gone wrong?

A group of soldiers from Esdeath's own army were marching out to meet the general. Bellany walking in the front with a proud smile on her face.

"With that being said, this teigu's regenerative abilities are quite formidable." Esdeath went on. "It looks like you are already out of critical condition."

She looked down at Leone's body. "Which reminds me" Esdeath said as she grabbed the teigu attached around Leone's crushed hips."This is imperial property now."

She tore of Lionelle from Leone's body. Immediately Leone's body spasmed a couple of times as her features returned to normal at an extremly fast pace. Making some people in the watching crowd let out a "Ohhh" in wonder.

Without looking away from Leone, Esdeath threw the teigu over her shoulder. Straight into Bellany's arms. "I will come visit you in a day or two when you have regained some more energy. Then we can have a _long good talk_ about Night raid and you. Now I have a lot of things I need to do. I have reports to write, subordinates to instruct.."

She leaned in and whispered in Leone's ear.

".. and your old comrade in my bed."

Leone grit her teeth. Suddenly she planted her feets in the ground. She tore free from Esdeath's grip and headbutted the genral straight in the face. Esdeath didn't even bother with avoiding her. Leone used all her strenght but without Lionelle's power she might as well have tried to headbutt a brick wall. Her own face being the only one to take any damage. Esdeath's head didn't even move from the impact.

Esdeath simply smiled at Leone as she recoiled from the impact. Watching her fall down to the ground. Unable to stand up by herself. Esdeath turned to Bellany.

"Take the criminal to the dungeons. I will come and deal with her personally later. And have that teigu ready. I intend to make full use of this woman's capabilities for it's regenerative abilities." Esdeath said with closed eyes. Adjusting her hair with one of her hands.

Yes, general" Bellany said with a happy smile. Saluting her commander as she did.

As the soldiers took Leone and dragged her off,Esdeath turned to the crowd. Her eyes immediately meeting Tatsumi's. Indicating that she had known that he had been there the whole time. She started walking towards him. The crowd moved away from Tatsumi as if he was poison. Afraid to get in the way of the ice queen and her obvious destination.

Tatsumi was stone faced, lost in thought. How was he going to solve this? Could he beg Esdeath to let Leone go? No,that would never work. Could he somehow get her out? Should he try to break her out? Jeopardizing the fall of the entire empire in the process. Tatsumi's thoughts were spinning out of control.

Esdeath walked up to him and wrapped her arms around him. Putting her lips on his. Proudly starting to make out with him in front of more than a hundred onlookers. Happy to demonstrate what was hers and why. Tatsumi's arms reached up and embraced her. His body meeting her advances by mere reflex. Trained by himself to do so.

The crowd started to cheer as they watched their greatest warrior meet her love again after returning from yet another victory in the empire's name. Esdeath pulled back from his face and looked at his vacant expression with a genuinly compassionate smile.

"I have been looking forward to spending another night with you for so long now that I feel like I would tear down the sun right now if I could." she said. Hugging him even tighter.

"Are you sure you aren't able to?" Tatsumi answered in an empty voice. Feeling as if the world was crumbling around him as panick ruled his mind.

With only twelve hours left until the empire would start to burn.

* * *

><p><strong>Author's note:<strong>

**Damn that anime adaption turned into a trainwreck towards the end. If anyone by any chance has stumbled over this without reading the manga then I really recommend that you give it a try. If you liked the anime you're going to love the manga and its still going strong.**

**The mistake I did with this chapter is that I decided where I wanted it to end before I started writing it. And then some scenes simply grew much bigger than I intended. I actually had to postpone one scene since I just couldn't fit it into this chapter. That is why this chapter is so focused on just Esdeath and Tatsumi. I simply had to focus on the scenes that needed to happen before the end I had decided on before I started.**

**I do still intend to release another chapter before the year is over. but it will probably be a bit smaller than this one. This one grew to be way too big.**

**Once again, THANKS A LOT for reading. I had originally just intended to write 4-5 chapters of this but now that so many people have taken an interest in it I feel really motivated to fully develop and explore this setting. The mere fact that some of you found my story to even be deserving of your words and input in the form of comments/reviews is simply amazing to me. I'm grateful to my core. Thanks.**

**Happy holidays to each and every one of you. Take care of each other.**


	4. The night before the storm 1

**Well then. I now have my first officialy missed deadline on this story.**

**Sorry about that. This chapter is split into 2 parts since these entries to the story are a bit shorter than I want my regular chapters to be.**

* * *

><p><strong>The night before the storm. (12)**

The dining hall was almost completly quiet. The ocassional clink of the silverware and the steps of the attendants bringing the food was the only noise heard. Tatsumi was sitting silent on one side of the long table with a single untouched glass of wine in front of him. Incursio resting against the back of his chair. Deeply lost in rapid thoughts. Debating within his mind.

On the other side sat Esdeath. Her cap placed on the table beside her as she ate from the splendid dinner brought by the maids and waiters. Calmly enyoing her meal while making plans for the night in her head. Casting a few glances at Tatsumi every now and then. Completly content with just appreciating the moment. Today had been a great day and the best was yet to come.

Tatsumi was wrangling with the dilemma of the moment. Not really paying much mind to Esdeath.

Should he try to solve this? Could he solve it? Those were the biggest questions that he was trying to determine an answer to. Leone's capture had been extremly untimely. Everything was going to begin in the early morning tomorrow. Eighteen months of planning and the destruction of the empire was on the line. Was it really prudent to try and save her if he didn't have a really big chance to success?

And he couldn't even think of how he would do it. Leone was now under strict guard not only by Esdeath's subordinates but probably by the great general's imperial guard as well.

He didn't have any contacts that could get her out and no allies that were strong enough to break her free without running a big risk of being caught. And he didn't know if any of them would keep their mouths shut when tortured.

He might be able to do it himself. He had gained a lot of strenght under Esdeath's training. And he had mastered powers and tricks that he had kept hidden. Even from her. The more he thought about it the more certain he became that he would be able to break her out with some luck.

And that only filled him with more regret.

The problem was that if he did so, if he broke her out through force and then set her free before anyone could react, the empire would probably figure out that it had been he who had done it. Even if he didn't leave any witnesses, chances are that they would run into some more powerful people. And if they didn't, he would still be the first suspect of the jailbreak. His absence would start to be questioned and he would be put under surveillance. Everything he had been doing the last eighteen months would be thoroughly researched.

He couldn't run away with Leone either. The plan would fall to pieces if he was not stationed near Esdeath when everything began.

No, if he broke her out, the empire would realize that it had been him pretty quickly. Could he hide behind Esdeath's protection when that time came? He looked up at her from the still untouched wineglass.

She was delicately cutting through the meat she had been brought. Eating it up with elegant manners.

Sure,she would probably punish him in some way but that was a small price to pay. She would also not allow anyone to take him away from her so his position at her side would still be secured. The question was how much she would start to restrain his movements? If everything was gonna play out as he had planned then he needed to be close to her but he also needed to relatively mobile. Would she allow him to remain as "free" as he was now?

Esdeath felt Tatsumi's gaze and rose her own to meet it, smiling."Are you sure that you don't want something to eat?" she asked as she took another bite. "I don't want you to run out of energy later on."

"No thanks,I'm fine." He answered. He was way too stressed out to have any appetite right now. "Esdeath?"

"Mmm?"

"What would you do if people from within the empire came after me?"

"I won't allow anyone else to hurt you. If you are close to me you will always be safe, Tatsumi." she said as she put her knife down. Picking up a serviette.

"Even if it was the empire itself that hunted me?"

Esdeath's thoughts immediately went to the Night raid member locked up in the dungeons. Was he planning to do something stupid again?

She wiped her already clean lips on the serviette while she kept her eyes on him.

She was certain that there was no love lost between Tatsumi and Night raid anymore. It had taken a while but in the end he had given her the one person who had cared the most for him in that organization. His strongest bond to them. And she had teared that bond apart so thoroughly that the torturemasters still told tales about it. She had spent almost four days in the torture chambers that time. Not even taking any pauses for sleep. She had even impressed herself during that session.

"Your criminal record has been completly erased and you are now part of the imperial army's special forces. I know that parts of the empire still despise you but they won't dare to hurt you now that you belong to me."

"What if I did something stupid?" Tatsumi asked and looked down at his glass.

"Don't." Her voice grew harder.

She could imagine what kind of actions he was referring to. Even if she was pretty sure that he wouldn't try to do something with the prisoner.

Tatsumi had a history of insubordination against the imperial military even after he came over to her side. In most cases it was nothing serious. He had gotten in a couple of fist-fights during his time in the capital but he had always triumphed and had always provided proof of provocations. So she simply let it slide by most times. Warning him publicly while praising his abilities to cause damage privately. She loved to watch his proficiency for causing damage. And he still had potential to grow so much more.

However, there had been a couple of times when he had done something really stupid. When she actually had been forced to work a bit to get him out of the situation. She was confident that she could get him out of any situation he got himself into if he just did as she said. In worst case she might have to strike a deal with the prime minister but she would do that if it was the only way.

She reached over for her own wineglass. "I'am a general of the empire and I will uphold the duties that title places on me." She sniffed the wine.

"But I will destroy anyone who tries to hurt you." she concluded with closed eyes and drank deep from the wine.

Tatsumi couldn't get any closer to his actual question and he didn't dare to be more specific.

There was only one solution to this now.

He could not risk trying to free Leone. Not now. Not yet. So he needed to postpone this problem. Esdeath had reserved Leone for herself so no one else would touch her. So the best way to buy time now would be to keep Esdeath's attention away from her. Tatsumi knew that he was the only person that could do that.

First of all he needed to talk to Leone though. He needed to make sure that she didn't do anything dumb that would make Esdeath come over to her. He needed to meet her somehow.

She needed to know that help might come. Otherwise she might be searching for a way to take her own life so that she won't give up any information during torture.

Which meant that he needed to get away from Esdeath for a while. Making that happen would require some improvisation on his part.

"Anyway, I need to go and do some errands now."

He could feel how her gaze fixed on him without even looking at her. Suddenly there was force behind it.

"Do you think I will let you run away now that I have you here with me? After you left me alone last night?" Esdeath said. Putting down the now empty wineglass. "You won't be leaving my presence for a while, Tatsumi."

"You sound like a clingy teenager." he teased. Trying to start a competition around if she could let him leave her or not.

She didn't take the bait though. She simply smiled a little more menacingly at him. Not much though. It was still a gentle expression.

Tatsumi changed strategy. "If you don't let me go and do things on my own now and then, you will destroy any chance I have of becoming as powerful as you wish."

"You will have your freedom, Tatsumi. Just not right now."

That is a broad definition of freedom, Tatsumi thought. Changing strategy again.

"But this is actually part of my duties to the imperial army. I have some tasks I need to get done before the night comes."

"Who does the jaegers answer to, Tatsumi?"

"You."

"You are a part of the jaegers and they are a part of my forces. I dictate what their duties are. You already know this." She put her tableware down. Done with her meal. "Are you trying to avoid me, Tatsumi?" She gave him a look that was more stern than hurt.

He realized that the last strategy had been a mistake. So where should he go from here? Telling her that he was avoiding her would hurt her a bit but if she knew he was hiding from her it would probably set off her instincts as a hunter as well. Then he would definetly not get away. No, a bit of truth would get him further here.

"I have already told you that I am not avoiding you." he said. Looking her straight in the eyes. "And I am aware of what you have been doing to entertain yourself when I was not around."

Esdeath's expression did not change.

"Come on. You are just being more paranoid because we have been seperated for so long" he said. Meeting her gaze steadily. He needed to seem determined himself if he was gonna get anywhere here."You're acting like you did when I first came over to you."

He rose up and swung Incursio over his back. Esdeath was watching him closely. If he took a step towards the door now she would probably intercept him in the blink of an eye. She had always liked to get physical with him. In all the definitions of the term.

So instead he opted for a diffrent plan. He walked around the table and up to her side as she remained sitting. Her gaze following him all the way. Then he went down on one knee so that he was lookin up at her instead of vice versa. He placed his hand on the top of one of hers.

"Please trust in me. I will come back to you in an hour." She continued to watch him with a stern expression. "You will strangle me if you can't let me out of your sight for an hour everytime we have been apart for a while."

He slowly stroked her hand with his thumb as he returned her gaze. She looked down on him for a couple of seconds before she closed her eyes and sighed. She rose her free hand and started to lovingly stroke his hair.

"I will give you an hour. If you take longer than that I will come hunting after you."

He smiled. He reached up and kissed her lightly on the lips before standing up. "Then I better hurry" he said and started to walk towards the door.

She had to give him his privacy, Esdeath reasoned in her mind. She had learned this during their time together. Their relationship worked much better if she gave him some private moments. And he had actually managed to get her worried when he started to talk about her strangling him. That was a thing that always worried her.

She knew that even those around her sometimes got crushed by her ways, wherever she intended it or not. She had waded through hoardes of subordinates during her military career. The jaegers, the three beasts and countless others had suffered terribly because they tried to follow her. Trying to follow her ways and her command. Ultimately not being strong enough to survive her way of life.

She usually didn't pay it much thought. She found it regrettable but in the end they had not been strong enough and had not been able to realize that in time. It was how the world worked. But she would not allow the same thing to happen to Tatsumi. If he was not strong enough then she would make him strong enough. She knew he had the potential for it. Until that potential was reached she would protect him from everything that she didn't know if he could handle. Even her own wishes at times.

"Tatsumi."

He turned around in the doorway.

She reached out with an open hand to him as she was rising up and picking up her cap. "Incursio."

She still wasn't sure where he was heading but if he was going out to cause trouble within the empire then she would limit it.

Tatsumi didn't hesitate. Reaching over with his hand,he grabbed and threw the sword to her in one fluid motion. She catched it without looking.

"See you in an hour." he said with a smile and walked out. He didn't need Incursio for this. He had managed to get the time he needed.

* * *

><p>Tatsumi had been right in his assumptions that Esdeath's own forces would be guarding the part of the prison that he was heading for as well. He met a checkpoint of her soldiers before he even reached the inner parts of the prison that were patrolled by the imperial guard.<p>

"We are gonna have to search you for weapons either way." the officer said as he read through Tatsumi's identification. The authority given by being a jaeger didn't help Tatsumi much here since the soldiers had orders from a general.

The group of soldiers seemed a bit uncertain of what to do though. It was clear that they didn't want to let him pass through but they were still hesitant to deny him access. He could understand their position. It seemed like they knew who he was. Which meant that they both knew of his past and had to be aware of his standing with the general who had given them their orders.

Tatsumi didn't recognize a single one of the soldiers. Chances were that Esdeath would learn about this visit but as long as no one knew what he was going to tell Leone then it didn't matter that much.

"What is your reason for visiting the prison." The officer asked Tatsumi as he was being searched.

"I'am going to visit the lowest level." he answered with a monotone voice. "The imperial guard has been notified already. They have prepared an escort for me."

"Very well, if the imperial guard will be with you during your entire visit I will allow it. Let him through."

He walked past the blockade of guards and went further down into the dungeons. After walking for about ten minutes he reached the second blockade of soldiers. This time the imperial guard. Stationed at the entrance to the more heavily guarded parts of the prison.

A large man was standing in the front of the checkpoint. Waiting for him to come closer before speaking. He carried the marks of an officer.

"Tatsumi of the jaegers, I'am Juro of the Imperial guard's prison sector. I will be your escort through you visit." the man bellowed. He was in his fifties and looked to be a bit overweight. But Tatsumi knew that the man wouldn't be a part of the imperial guard if he could not handle himself ni combat.

Tatsumi nodded to the man. "Lead the way."

The man turned and started walking. Tasumi followed in his footsteps. Walking past all the soldiers and further down into the dungeon.

The lower they got, the damper the air became. Screams could be heard in the far distance. Tatsumi waited until they reached a long corridor before he started to look around. Ensuring that they were alone. He then walked up to the side of the man.

"How are your kids doing?" he asked in a kind voice.

"Fine,thanks to you. I can't thank you enough, Tatsumi." the big man said. All strict,military demeanor gone.

"You have helped me out a lot in return so don't mention it.** To anyone**." Tatsumi said with a smile. Letting the last part get a bit sharper than the rest of the sentence.

"Of course, but I must admit that I'am a little bit worried about this. You aren't gonna do something that will get us in trouble? It's me and my friends they will start to question first if something happens." the man said as they walked on.

"Don't worry about it. I just want to talk to her. There won't be any dangerous things happening during any of your shifts. At least not because of me." Tatsumi said. Contrary to what most people believed, he still tried to take care of his own.

"Thats good to know. It would normally be two people escorting you but my co-worker did unfortunetly feel a bit under the weather after his dinner." Juro said in a complaining tone.

"How unfortunate." Tatsumi answered with a smile.

"Certainly. And it was very sudden as well. So it will only be the two of us today since I didn't have any time to get another guard." the older man went on.

"I hope your co-worker will get better soon." It would not do if the absent guard started to get really sick. That would attract attention.

"It's must just be something he ate. He will be better tomorrow." Juro reassured with a wave of his right hand.

"Good. How is the prisoner?"

"Well, to say that she looked bad when we got her would be a huge understatement. It would be faster to name the parts of her that wasn't damaged than the parts of her that was. But since then we have had some really talented doctors to fix her up a bit and she have been force-fed the amount of food and medicine that is necessary for her survival. The jailmasters seems to be afraid that they will incur Esdeath's wrath if they let her latest toy die before she have had her fun."

"Understandable.". This was nothing new to Tatsumi. Most of the military feared Esdeath's anger.

"Well then. Here we are." Juro said as they reached a heavily fortified iron door. He started to unlock it with a set of diffent keys."Do you want me to go in there with you?"

"No. Stay here. I will come out to you when I'm done."

"Suit yourself." Juro said as he opened the door. Letting tatsumi step inside before closing it behind him.

The prison cell was cold and dark. It was lit up by a single torch. Hanging from the left wall. The room lacked any form of window and was completly empty. With the exception of Leone, who was chained to the wall in front of him. She was sitting down. Her hands locked to the wall with short chains. She was slouched forward and seemed to be asleep. Most of her body was wrapped in diffrent kind of bandages and band-aids. She really looked defeated, Tatsumi reflected.

His big sis. She had saved his life earlier and now he would do the same for her again.

Tatsumi slowly moved closer to her. "Si-..Leone."

She didn't react. He reached his hand out to touch her shoulder. His fingers were just about to touch her skin when she moved. With her back against the wall she kicked him in the stomach with both her feet. Mustering up whatever little strenght she had left.

Tatsumi was pushed back a meter. That hurt a lot. But not much on a physical level.

"Leone.." he said silently. Looking at how she struggled to get back into sitting position with pity.

"Have you come to finish me or just gloat, TRAITOR!" she screamed at him. It was amazing how she still had all this energy, Tatsumi thought.

"Leone, I don't want to see you suffer."

"Well, then you better just turn around and walk away. That seems to be the way you deal with things that makes you uncomfortable these days.", she scowled at him.

"That is not true." Tatsumi defended. His face filled with regret.

"Ohh yeah? It seems terrible much like that from down here." Her chains rattled as she finally managed to get into a somewhat upright position. "You just choose to suddenly be done with all the fighting and struggles we faced together to go live in comfort and safety with the enemy. Throwing away all we fought for like a used towel."

"I didn't choose death. That is all I did" Tatsumi said. _I didn't stop fighting, _he thought_. _But he didn't say it_. _He didn't dare to reveal too much down here. Where the imperial guard might be listening to every word he said.

"I think you have done much more than just that. I can imagine whose mark that is on your neck!"

To late Tatsumi realized that he hadn't covered up the bite mark left by Esdeath the day prior. He cursed in his mind and put a hand over the still healing wound.

"Ohh your hand can't cover up the extent of your betrayal, Tatsumi. There is not a single spy in the revolutionary army that does not know who Esdeath shares her bed with." she growled. "If you had just been unable to face death everyday and left Night raid, I wouldn't even have been angry with you."

Tatsumi tried to cut through the chase. He knew that he would not be able to explain, much less defend, his choices and actions down here. It was to risky.

"Listen Leone, I have come to tell you something important."

The only answer he got was her glare.

"Whenever you get a chance to prolong this I want you to do it. Don't try to do anything stupid. Do everything you can to stay alive for as long as possible."

"Ohh yeah? You want me to take the same path as you did? Sorry, I don't think I will receive the same priveleged treatment as you. Have you not heard what happened to Lubbock. Or maybe Esdeath spared you the details."

Tatsumi clenched his teeth. The worst part of it was that she was not completly wrong. Esdeath had informed him of Lubbock's death but she had spared him any details. He had found out those on his own.

"Just listen to me Leone. I will keep Esdeath occupie-"

"Sorry Tatsumi but some of us actually prefer to die with dignity. Even if you find it unpleasant that we do."

_You don't have to die_, he thought but he couldn't say it. He also knew that the end that was awaiting Leone had nothing dignifying about it.

"Dignity means little when you are rotting in the ground. Besides Leone, we were never anything more than murderers and assassins. We don't deserve any dignity."

"We stood up for yours! The revolutionary army wanted us to send assassins after you but we defended you. We swore to them that you would not turn your back on us like that. And then when we finally got a message from you, it all turned out to be a trap!"

She had not meant to be so harsh on Tatsumi. She had not planned to throw this in his face but she couldn't help it now that he was here. Looking completly fine, wearing imperial clothes and having the mark of a love bite on his neck.

"She loved you Tatsumi!"Furious tears were running down Leone's patched up face now. "Did that not matter to you at all?! She was the one who never gave up on you. She was the one who refused to believe that you had betrayed us. She was the one who made us keep up hope about you. And what did she get from that? One of the most horrible ends a human can get."

Tatsumi thought's involuntarily traveled to a caring voice, light kisses, small gentle hands and pink hair. He wanted to weep.

Leone saw how a sad expression had formed on Tatsumi's face. But that only fueled her anger further. Had he not thought about this himself? Had he not mourned her like they had? Had he ignored what happened to Mine completly?

"Ohh so you haven't heard. I guess the ice bitch didn't tell you the details about how she completly destroyed the person who believed the most in your decency. But we heard, Tatsumi. We heard everything. The empire was very proud to let the world know about what happened to their enemies."

Esdeath had actually not told Tatsumi about how Mine had met her end. His imagination had done that for him. It was rare for her to be tactful enough to respect other people's weaknesses but at that time she had still been overprotective of Tatsumi. Afraid that he would break. And it had not been hard to see that he was traumatized back then.

"Let me tell you about some of the details." Leone almost screamed. Her face ridden with tears. "Esdeath apparently felt that your girlfriend posed some kind of rival to her in some carnal way so she began with the most painful form of castration she could come up with. She actually used some hooks and a-

"ENOUGH!" Tatsumi roared. His nails were digging into the palms of his clenched fists so hard that they drew blod. _I have come to far to back down now! I'am almost there, _he thought.

Leone was taken aback by how Tatsumi had changed in front of her. He had tears in his eyes but he looked more furious than she had ever seen him. His entire presence radiated indignation. Leone realized that this was not the same boy she had met in a bar a long time ago.

Months of supressed animosity momentarily surfaced in Tatsumi.

"A storm is coming." he said, forgetting all caution. "And it's fires will rise higher than anything."

He was almost about to tell her everything. He wanted to do it so bad. He wanted to let her know that it had never been a trap. He had tried to reach out to them. To contact them for help but everything had gone wrong. Just like now. He wanted her to know that he had tried to save Mine as well. And that he had fought with everything he had during these last eighteen months.

He wanted to have at least one person in the world who could still believe in his humanity.

But in the end, he regained his composure. He remembered where he was. And that it was not worth risking the whole plan just to sate his selfish wish for some small form of redemption.

"No matter what happens Leone, you will never be of use to the revolutionary army if you are dead. Remember that."

He started to leave. He didn't know if he had managed to get the message across but he couldn't think of anything more to say. Staying here only seemed to aggravate Leone. And make himself lose control. He needed to get out.

When Leone saw how Tasumi started to leave she felt how her rage faded. She realized that she had used it to supress all the sadness that now came bubbling up."Is that all we were to you,Tatsumi? Just murderers and sinners?

He stopped at the door. He searched for words but couldn't find them. He realized just how worked up he was. This had gotten to him much more than he wanted to admit. Finally he managed to scramble something together in his head. It was not adequate but it was the truth.

"You were everything to me" he said and left the room. Hearing how Leone started to sob behind him.

My best parts died with Mine, he thought bitterly as he walked back out to the world that was ruled by his his lover and her kind.

But when the first sunlight of the morning would come, the results of his endurance would begin.

* * *

><p><strong>Author's note:<strong>

**As I said, a shorter entry this time. I should have realized that celebrations,family,friends and alcohol would hamper my productivity when I first set my deadline. Sorry again. The next half will be a bit longer and won't take as much time. 6-7 days at most.**

**A bit more drama in this chapter. Everything is being set up for the main story to take off. **

**A kind person reminded me with a review of how tricky it can be to write ocs. Not that there were any big ones in this specific entry.**

** Unlike the canon characters a bigger oc needs to be defined and requires characterization. All these things that the canon characters already have. Yet I believe that people come here to mainly read about the canon characters in diffrent scenarios. And frankly, that is what I want to write about but the ocs can sometimes be necessary to make that happen. **

**So it creates these weird moments when an oc needs an entire paragraph for themselves while what is supposed to be the main characters only gets a couple of lines. I will continue to try and make it more balanced while still keeping everything working. If you think the ocs start to take too much room then let me know with a review/comment and I will try to limit it even more.**

**As always, thanks A LOT for reading my little story. Every new follower/favorite and every new comment/review is extremly encouraging.**

**Until next time, have a good day and take care of each other.**


	5. The night before the storm 2

**Ha! On time with this one. **

**Let's make that a habit.**

* * *

><p><strong>The night before the storm. (22)**

The huge corridors felt a little more empty than they usually did for Tatsumi as he walked back towards Esdeath's living quarters. He had now regained his composure fully but a lingering feeling of loneliness still remained with him.

Not that he was alone. The humongous corridor was as wide as a street and there was plenty of people walking by and around him. Saluting him for his rank without getting much of a respons from him.

Now he actually longed for Esdeath's company. He knew that she would easily wash away these feelings of loneliness with her unquenchable,albeit mischievous, love for him. In the past she had sworn that she was never gonna allow him to be lonely as he was the only human alive she wanted as her mate. Now he involuntarily just wanted to go and let her uphold that promise once again. Letting him forget about the world for a while.

And that longing for her filled him with self-loathing.

He had in some part accepted her as his lover by now. Her. She who had hurt and destroyed so many of his friends. She who stood for so many of the things he wanted to put an end to.

Yet some parts of him had started to cherish all her other character traits so much that he at times forgot who his lover actually were. What she were.

At times he stopped to think of her as the perpetrator of sorrow and suffering that she was and only saw her as his caring, sadistic lover. And for that, Tatsumi felt that he deserved this loneliness.

Thankfully, he needed to remain in the position as her lover if everything was gonna work out in the months to come. That fact allowed him to not think about the moral implications of enjoying Esdeath's company. For now.

"Tatsumi!" he heard a kind and familiar voice from behind him. He turned around to see Wave come walking up to him. "Hi, Wave" he ansvered in a tired voice.

Wave walked up to Tatsumi and put a hand on his shoulder. Looking genuinly concerned. "Are you ok, man? I heard that you were there when Esdeath returned today."

"Who told you?" Tatsumi asked as he started to walk towards his destination again. Wave walking beside him.

"Bellany"

"My biggest fan." he said with a crooked smile.

"Yeah. She was over in one of the barracks, talking loudly about how you had seemed completly devastated about seeing Esdeath do her job." Tatsumi gave him a sharp glance but Wave raised his hand defensively. "Her words, not mine."

"Can you think of a single time when she haven't tried to degrade me when there was a chance for her to do so?"

"Nope. Her stance on you is pretty well known, so most people take her rumors about you with a pinch of salt. But you were there, right?"

"Yeah. I was waiting for her return in the front row."

"Is everything okay, Tatsumi?" Wave said. Repeating his initial question with concern.

"Another criminal crushed by the empire, right?" Tatsumi answered with a sad smile. "Another villain meeting an horrible end."

"Cut the crap." Wave said. Sounding annoyed. "I've been your friend for a year and a half now, Tatsumi. I know you better than that. Did you know her?"

"Yeah." he answered in a empty voice.

"Are you okay?"

Tatsumi thought for a second and decided to tell Wave a part of the truth. He needed someone to confide in and his behaviour would seem more reasonable to Wave if he knew parts of the truth. So that he didn't start to make up hs own theories about his behaviour.

"I don't know. She has helped me many times and I would actually have been dead if it wasn't for her. She might have been nothing more than a simple assassin but somehow I think she deserved better than this." he answered. Letting some of his sorrow come through in his voice.

Wave put his hand on Tatsumi's shoulder again.

"I just feel like she was unlucky in the end. Unlucky to have ended up here. Unlucky to have walked the road she walked. Unlucky to have ended up in this conflict. I just feel like she got dealt a bad hand from the start and then just tried to make the best of it."

"Like so many of us do." Wave said. He could now see just how sad his friend was. "Is there anything I can do to help you handle this, Tatsumi?"

_You could help me destroy it all. _"No" he said. "Some battles you simply have to fight alone."

"You sure?", Wave was very worried about his friend by now.

"Just don't tell anybody about my concerns." he said. Putting on a more nonchalant act."I have enough people spreading rumors about me without anyone knowing that I harbour concern for Night raid members."

"Of course." Wave thought about his promise to the prime minister. Tatsumi's relations and interactions with Night raid was certainly one of the things that he had been asked to report about. But he was unsure if it was necessary in this case. To his understanding their deal was mainly about helping Esdeath's love life work. He didn't know if this really was relevant. Then again, better to be safe than sorry.

"So I heard that my plan backfired by the way." he said in a joking tone. Trying to lighten the mood.

"So you did have your party? Sadly, it might be like you say. Since I wasn't with Esdeath at the time." Tatsumi said. Happy to put his mind on diffrent matter.

"I thought we agreed that it was unwise to keep avoiding her."

"It wasn't voluntarily. I fell asleep outside of the castle without her knowing where I was."

"Oh... ,well if it is any consolation, I had a lot of fun.". A cheeky grin found it's way to Wave's face.

"I'm happy that at least one of us gained something from it." Tatsumi said dryly.

He was about to go on about how the plan never seemed to have been about his problem at all but he stopped himself when an all to familiar sense of pressure came down on him. She was here.

He turned his eyes forward and sure enough, at the far end of the enormous corridor Esdeath was approaching them. Carrying Incursio in one of her hands. The crowd parting away in front of her. Soldiers standing at attention as they greeted her and noblemen saluting and bowing to her. She had an officer walking beside her. Reading something to her from a paper but she didn't seem to pay much attention to it.

Wave followed Tatsumi's gaze and saw the general. He started to put his hand in the air to try and get her attention but Tasumi stopped him.

"She has already seen us, Wave." She was too far away for them to be able to see where her eyes were looking but he could feel it. She had spotted him and she kept her gaze on him.

Tatsumi started his routine internallly. He focused in on a singular mental image. He forced away all his ill will and centered his emotions around all the things he liked about Esdeath and the things she made happen. He took complete control of himself and fixated on the role as the ice queen's partner.

"Hey, I know that I said that I didn't want to try and distract her yesterday but I feel like I owe you one after last night. You want me to do something?" Wave said. "If you need some time to prepare something I can probably improvize something I need her help with."

"It's fine, Wave. I met her this morning before she moved out. I think we're good."

After about three minutes they reached each other. Wave stood at attention and saluted her happily. Tatsumi followed his example a bit more leisurely. Esdeath walked up and embraced Tatsumi without saying a word to the others. Leaving the officer scratching his head awkwardly while Wave tried to send the man a relaxing smile. He had gotten used to his commander's and Tatsumi's relationship a long time ago.

"Your hour was about to end so I came looking for you" She said as she pulled away from him slightly. A little bit louder than necessary, Tatsumi felt. Since the people who were walking by were slowing down just to see what was going on.

"Didn't even trust me enough to give me a whole hour,huh?" he said. His smile had a bitter tinge to it.

"Ohh, don't be like that." she said, returning his smile. She didn't move away from him much. Still staying well within his personal space without giving any sign of moving away. She pressed Incursio against his chest."I can give you another two or three minutes if you so desire."

"Nah, I'm fine." he answered and grabbed Incursio.

Wave was watching Esdeath and Tatsumi closely. Trying to get a good understanding of the mood between those two. Attentive to any chance he had of making things go along smoother. Remembering the prime ministers words.

"General!" He said and saluted her again with a smile. "Congratulations to the success during your intel-gathering outside of the capital today." He immediately realized that this probably was the worst direction he could have lead the conversation in.

Esdeath turned her head towards Wave and smiled her usual confident smile. Still keeping one arm wrapped around Tatsumi's head. "Thanks,Wave. I guess congratulations indeed are in order. I never expected that I would get to have so much fun on a mere tracking expedition."

Wave threw a worried glance at Tatsumi but the boy didn't seem to be fazed by it as far as he could see. He took his chance to lead the discussion away before it got any worse.

"I hope we didn't disturb your sleep with our party last night, commander."

"Well, I won't say that I was in a good mood last night" Tatsumi felt how the arm that was on his shoulder grabbed hold of his shirt. "..but your party did not play a big part in it." She said and adjusted her hair with the hand that was not on Tatsumi. "Besides, if I wanted you to stop I would have made you stop. Don't worry about it."

"That is good to know, commander."

Esdeath turned to the officer. Momentarily letting go off Tatsumi. "I will listen to the rest of the report tomorrow. For now you are relieved, go fetch yourself something to eat."

"Yes, general!" The man saluted Esdeath and walked away. She turned to Wave.

"I have quite a lot of things I want to do with Tatsumi now, Wave." she said casually. Not at all ashamed of the obvious insinuations. "Go and watch over that little group of yours for a while. I'm sure training them takes a lot of time. After that you can go on with your leisure time. I have no specific tasks for you."

"Yes, commander. Just as you say, I need all the time I can get with them. The life they have chosen won't be easy but they can still grow a lot more."

"I can admire the wish to see someone's potential fully reached." Esdeath said and gave Tatsumi a glance.

"Thank you, general Esdeath." Wave said with joyfull enthusiasm.

Esdeath smiled at Wave and gave him a slight nod to the left. Signaling for him to leave. Dismissing him wih the small gesture. Wave turned and walked off.

Esdeath watched him for a second before turning around and starting to walk towards her own chambers. "Tatsumi."

"Yeah." Tatsumi answered. Giving his friend a last look before walking after her. Wave was doing strange signs with his hands that he guessed meant good luck.

He walked up to her side. Walking with her through civilian areas were always a strange experience. Most of the civilians moved away fast at the sight of Esdeath's uniform. Afraid that she was out on official buisness. Other more brave people stayed around, trying to look unpertubed. A few even shouted her name or encouraging words at times. She rarely payed it any mind. At some rare occasions she favoured some of the bystanders with a glance, or even rarer, a wave with her arm. Anyone even remotly involved with the military directly stood in attention as soon as she entered their vicinity.

Tatsumi walked beside her in a much more relaxed demenaor. After all this time, he still found some childish joy in being able to annoy the imperial military with how careless he could be around her. While they always tried to be as attentive and respectful to her as they could be. Fearing what a mistake in her presence might lead to. Esdeath herself were only happy that Tatsumi acted so casual around her. He was the only person she didn't want to fear her in any way.

He was ,however, a bit worried about her right now. He didn't know how pent-up she was. Leone might have taken the brunt of that force but he didn't know. He decided to start a more serious conversation.

"It seems like a certain little counsellor of yours has been running around spreading more rumors about me again."

Esdeath gave him a look somewhere between annoyed and tired.

"Hey, I don't mean to come whining to you about all my little problems." he said and threw up his hands in a defensive gesture. "I just find it strange how you let her get away with it while you punish others for far smaller offences."

"I have told you before, Tatsumi. If she said anything of that in my presence she would regret it. But if I'am gonna crush everyone who talks ill about us two when we are not around then the military will suffer terrible losses. Besides, don't pay attention to the opinion of the ground you walk on, my love. It will make you easier to hurt. "

"You know that I can't see it that way, Esdeath."

"Then do something about it. Bellany is never gonna dare to hurt you."

"Are you actually telling me to go after your subordinate?"

"I will not tolerate insubordinations in my own ranks. Even if it is you, Tatsumi. Bellany is talented and loyal to me. As my subordinate I will give her a certain level of protection. That doesn't mean she might not need to be disciplined now and then."

"And you are telling me to do that? I'm afraid I don't have a high enough rank to get away with it."

"Either you find a way to make her say these things in my presence or you make her stop _through other means_."

He raised an eyebrow at her. "So much for the protection of your subordinates."

"If she disappears or suddenly can't perform her duties because of some unfortunate "accident" I will know where to start researching about it." She said and gave him a hard look."And if I hear a word about you starting or initiating open conflicts or figths with **any** of my subordinates I will punish you _in a way I see fit_. But if I don't hear about it... Well, we won't speak any more of this." She said with a gesture with two of her fingers. Ending the discussion with a knowing smile on her face.

Tatsumi was once again reminded of how hard and cruel her ideals were. She had no emotional or moral problem with having Bellany face off against him. Even if the situation was unfair in nature. If Bellany would be discovered with planning or trying to hurt him she would probably face a rather horrible fate. If he himself were discovered trying to do the same thing to Bellany his punishment would be of a very diffrent nature.

These kind of inherent injustices didn't bother Esdeath. Everyone had their own handicaps and limitations. Those who couldn't handle themselves were left behind. Anyone who was not able to keep up would be trampled. He was the only one which she offered complete protection.

They had arrived at the huge doors that lead into her quarters. She opened one of them and walked in. Tatsumi followed in her footsteps by routine.

The rooms had already been lit with soft lights and candles. Esdeath noncalantly threw her huge weapon to the side. It landed perfectly in it's designated place on one of the elegant weapon racks that adourned the walls of the entrance hall. Tatsumi placed Incursio in it's own reserved place.

"I'm going to take a shower. " Esdeath said as she walked over to the bedroom. Twirling her cap on her index finger. He could see that she were in a good mood. He didn't know if that should bother him or relieve him.

"Alright, I will be in the study a minute. I need to write some things down before I forget them." he answered as he watched her back. She waved a hand dismissively over her shoulder. He couldn't help but notice that she was swaying her hips a bit more than usual. He felt how his body reacted to her. His heartbeats accelerating slightly.

She gave him a glance before she walked into the next room. When she saw him something more basic crept into her expression. Her smile became a little more bestial. As if a trap she had set had managed to catch it's prey. Tatsumi realized, that somehow, she knew that his body wanted her.

If it had just been a physical reaction that wouldn't have bothered him, Tatsumi reflected as he walked into the study. A big room filled with letters ,papers and bookshelves. The problem was that it wasn't only the physical side of him that wished for love and comfort. He felt so emotionally and mentally drained that the thought of just resting in a caring and loving embrace seemed heavenly. Not that he thought that Esdeath were gonna let him rest anytime soon.

He sat down at one of the room's many desks.

Maybe she had managed to change him a bit after all, he thought once again. Or maybe it was just how he adapted to his new lifestyle. Either way, he needed to be careful. He must not lose sight of his objective.

This was the desk he usually worked on but it was still littered with messages and letters for Esdeath. Put there by the maids and postmen when there were no more room on the other desks. A single candle was burning at the edge of it.

He shoved the letters down from the desk and took a new paper from the stack of empty ones found in it's corner. The bigger part of the surface of the desk was covered in a short message. Engraved in the wood in large letters a long time ago. The pretty desk ruined.

**You are mine**

Esdeath had left that message for him a long time ago. As soon as she realized that this was the desk that he was using. He smiled at it. Her obsession with possessing him could almost seem childish at times. If you took away the fact that this seemed to have been carved with a blade. She must have ordered the attendants to not replace his desk with a new one, since these kind of damages usually were fixed or replaced pretty quick.

He started to write a couple of letters with diffrent hidden meanings. He was not yet planning to send any of them to anyone. They just needed to be prepared so that he could send them away at a moments notice. Should the need for them arise. He already had many of these prepared but Leone was now in the dungeons and he needed to have new messages concerning that prepared. Should something unforseen happen.

He had been sitting there for almost fifteen minutes when suddenly all lights in the rooms went out.

Tatsumi immediatly rose. His vision completly gone. Fearing an assassination attempt. Had someone actually managed to get past the imperial guard? Then, out of all important and weak targets in the castle, they had chosen to try their luck against Esdeath herself. That seemed stupid by any definition ,Tatsumi thought.

He moved his hand over to the now extinguished candle on his desk. It was frozen.

Ahh,so thats is the game we are playing, he thought. He took two steps away from the table.

He knew this unfair game pretty well. Esdeath was coming for him now. And she would be fast. Trying to gain an upperhand from the fact that her eyes adapted faster to the darkness than his. Actually, all of her senses were much stronger and more perceptive than his. So his disadvantage was quite big. But he had learned some strategies.

If he could just get to the door that lead out of her chambers he would win. That was the unspoken rule. He had never managed to get that far before though.

He left everything at the desk and quickly started to move to where he thought the door to the entrance hall was. Trying to keep completly quiet. Listening for the slightest of sounds. When he reached a wall he went down into a crouching position. Keeping his side to the wall so that he could keep his attention on the other sides.

He couldn't see or hear anything. But he knew how to hide his presence. As long as her vision hadn't fully returned, he could probably hide from her pretty well.

He started to move along the wall. Towards the door to the entrance hall. He considered hiding somewhere in the study until he had regained his sight a bit but decided against it. She knew he had started here. And the more of her sight she regained the more inevitable his defeat became.

He felt how one of his hands touched the frame of the door that lead out of the study. This would be the biggest challenge. If there was one place she would ambush him, it would be here. She knew he had to pass through this doorway. She was most likely hiding in wait somewhere in the other room. Guarding the door. But he had an idea. An age old trick but it was still likely to succeed.

What Tatsumi could not see or detect was that Esdeath was right in front of him. Less than thirty centimeters away. Completly naked from the shower. Staring him straight in the eyes.

She was in a crawling position but the only parts of her that touched the floor was her hands and the tips of her feets. She had raised her upper body a bit so that their eyes were on the same level. She watched in amusement as Tatsumi reached into his pocket and brought forth a small coin.

She had actually silently rushed into the study while Tatsumi still hadn't realized what was going on. He had lost this game before he knew that they had started. He would probably think that was unfair, Esdeath thought, but to the winner goes the spoil. She slowly licked her lips and moved a few centimeters closer.

She didn't quite know why she hadn't taken him yet. She was more acting on her playful instincts than rational thought. She guessed she wanted to see his reaction when he finally managed to see her and realized that he had already lost. She watched with intrest as he raised his hand up and threw the small coin into the other room.

Tatsumi listened closely to the sound of the coin landing and rolling around in the other room. Trying to detect anything. When he didn't hear anything he started to move through the open door while remaining in a crouching position. Putting his hopes in that his distraction had worked. He moved past the door and put one of his sides against the the wall when he had reached the other side. Esdeath following just a few decimeters behind him. Enjoying the hunt to the fullest.

He was now in the entrance hall. It was very tempting to try and get to Incursio but he didn't want to escalate this further. Especially since the results most likely would be the same.

He had started to regain a bit of his sight but not much. He could make out the doors and the outlines of the furniture in the room. He couldn't see any movements though. She was probably sitting still in a corner somewhere, he thought. Waiting for the right moment to make her dash. He would wait here for a little longer to get some more vision before moving on. He crouched a bit lower.

Esdeath grew a bit restless when he didn't move. She crawled a little bit closer. She could almost feel the adrenaline of the moment as she placed her mouth just some centimeters from his ear. She stayed there for a second to see if he would notice her. When he didn't, she blew lightly into his ear.

Tatsumi immediately bolted for the door. His body reacting faster than his thoughts when he realized what was going on. But Esdeath had been ready for it and the lead he had on her was less than half a meter.

He managed to get three steps before one of her hands swept away the foot he was gonna land on. He immediately caught himself with his hands and prepared to use his momentum to make a somersault like movement and keep going. But before he managed to shift his body, she pressed him into the floor with her own. Forcing them both to come to a halt after sliding on the floor for a meter or two. Tatsumi had maybe gotten halfway through the room but now he was caught.

"You cheated! I don't even know when we started." He squirmed under her. He was so close to the door. Not yet willing to give up, he tried to get some friction with his feet so that he could push them both forward towards the door.

"What are you talking about Tatsumi?" Esdeath said with a delighted voice. She had risen a little bit up from him. She planted her knee on his lower back and pushed it down. Pinning him to the floor. "We have never agreed on any rules."

"It's not a competition without some kind fairness." he yelled, secretly enjoying their banter. He tried to reach something to grab to drag himself away from her but he only scratched the floor. He still couldn't see much.

"Who ever said anything about a competition?" she said with a satisfied voice. Creeping her fingers in under the collar of his shirt " The hunter has caught her prey. All that remains now.."

Tatsumi could feel how her damp hair fell down on his neck as she bent down to his ear and whispered.

".. is the feast."

She began to rip his shirt apart from his neck downwards.

"Hey! I actually like these clothes." he complained halfheartedly. When the back of his shirt was completly torn in two she stared at his muscular back for a while. Running a single finger down it while she kept him down with her knee.

He could hear how heavy her breathing had gotten. And he knew it was not because this had been physically taxing on her.

After some seconds she couldn't resist anymore and pressed herself down against him. putting her hands atop of his arms to hold him down. She started to lick his upper back,neck and shoulders in long, eager stokes. Biting him lightly every now and then.

She had always been like this. She had been just as inexperienced as he was at these kind of things when she had first come on to him. However she had been the one to take the lead. Trusting in her instincts. And so it had gone on after that. So their lovemaking usually contained a lot of force, a lot of bites and a lot of licking from her part.

Only now did Tatsumi realize that she was naked. As he felt how her breasts pressed against his back. He could feel how his own body reacted to her.

"Hey. Let's move to the bed." he said silently. She bit down a bit harder on his shoulder and remained like that. "We don't even lock the doors because of our trust in the imperial guards. Anyone might come in through the front doors right now."

"Unless they are really good at sneaking, I would be able to tell if someone was coming, Tatsumi. Besides, I'm not ashamed of my body. Neither should you be of yours." she said. Putting her teeth back into him in an almost gentle,nestling motion. Clearly deeming the matter done with.

Tatsumi sighed and played the card he knew would work."There are some things I want to reserv only for you."

That made Esdeath halt in her nibbling of his shoulder. She remained still for a moment. Then her hands left his arms and and planted themselves on the floor. She started to lift herself up from him.

Now! ,Tatsumi thought. He rolled around as quickly as he could and pushed away from her using the only thing in the room that he could reach: her. He pushed against her with both his hands, as hard as he could. Pushing her a little bit back and sending himself gliding away on the floor.

Esdeath was taken aback a bit. Having believed that their little hunting game was over. She launched after him but he rolled around and threw his now ruined shirt in her face. Obscuring her vision.

He then threw himself towards the doors. He didn't quite believe it when his hand actually landed on the handle. He had won this time. Finally.

He started to turn around, triumphantly." I beat you this time, Esde-"

A huge piece of ice passed his head barely a centimeter from his left ear. Smashing into the doors behind him. Piercing the point where both the doors met. Making them impossible to open.

"Wow, that was a bit extreme." he said and looked at the damage."I know you don't-" He halted himself when he saw her eyes. Uh-oh, he thought. He could still barely see her in the darkness but her eyes almost seemed to shine.

She didn't exactly look angry. She looked almost shocked in some strange way.

When Esdeath had swatted his destroyed shirt out of the way and seen Tatsumi reaching for the door handle something had snapped inside of her. Something instinctual had reacted extremly aggressively to feeling him shove her away and now she was seeing how he was about to leave her again.

After she had finally had him in her arms for the first time in a long while, he was now disappearing from her again? Just like yesterday. Was he never going to be more intimate with her again?

Something deep inside her snapped at that irrational train of thought and suddenly her need to possess him spiraled out of control.

From every little strand of brown hair to the last drop of his blood. She needed to possess it all. All of him belonged to her! He was not gonna escape again!

Tatsumi wondered what was going on for a moment. She usually just laughed or praised him when he managed to beat her at something. Then he suddenly remembered how pent-up she probably still was.

"You know that I was not gonna leave for real. Right?" he said with uncertainty. Taking a step towards her and reaching out with appeasing hands.

She took a careful step towards him. She moved as if she was hunting him again. Walking a bit crouched, ready to dash out at him if he started to move away from her. Moving slowly as if he was an animal she might scare away with any sudden movements.

"Esdeath?" Tatsumi asked. Starting to feel really concerned. "Come on, you're worrrying me. Are you angry with me?"

She silently stared him straight in the eyes, unsmiling, as she took another slow, careful step forward. Her arms spread out on her sides. Ready to catch him. He could still barely see her contours in the darkness but what he could make out was certainly worrying.

My competetive side seems to have gotten the better of me, Tatsumi thought. Let's try some damage control.

Still keeping his arms out in front of him he slowly started to walk towards her."Easy there, girl. Calm down."

He would chuckle if he wasn't so tense. He sounded like he was talking to a wild beast and she was acting as if he was a rare animal she was trying to catch. A good metaphor for their entire relationship, he thought.

She froze when he started to walk towards her. Staring at him as she lowered herself a little bit more.

When his foot touched the floor on his third step she pounced at him. He could almost see her now but he didn't try to resist. She tackled him and forced his face into her chest. His own feet were dragged a bit along the floor as she stopped her momentum. She remained standing though. Slightly hunched over Tatsumi's limp form.

She stood there for a moment before she dashed off with Tatsumi still in her embrace. Moving through the rooms in leaps. Tatsumi could not determine their destination since his entire face was still being pressed against her breasts. He did however, hear how she opened a few doors by smashing into them with her shoulders.

Suddenly she threw him a bit up into the air. Tatsumi braced for a hard impact but landed comfortably on his back in their bed. He didn't even have time to react before she landed on top of him. Straddling his stomach.

He lifted his arms to protect his face. Not that he thought she was going to hit him. He did it just by instinct since he still couldn't see very well.

She grabbed his arms around the wrists and pulled them away from his face.

His vision was definitely clearer now but he still couldn't see much since she was looming over him right now. He could however feel her breath against his face. He guessed she was looking him in the eyes from just a few centimeters above him. He could feel how her breasts were grazing his own chest.

"Have you forgotten who your owner is, Tatsumi?". It was not a gentle voice. It was authorative but way more rough and husky than her usual commanding tone.

Tatsumi decided that this might be a chance for him to let a bit of her urge to dominate him get an outlet without things getting too painful.

"Have I?" He pushed his forehead up against hers and started to push her head back. At the same time he started to struggle against the hands that were holding his arms. Pushing upwards with all the strenght he got.

He managed to push her back a little bit before she responded. She immediately pushed back his head with a snarl. Pressing his head down into the pillows with her own and keeping it there. Then she slowly started to press back with the hands that were holding his arms. Slowly forcing them up over his head.

"Have you?" she hissed lowly. Her breath blowing against his face. She didn't seem strained in any way. Tatsumi was not suprised. When it came to the ability to cause damage he was a little bit closer to her level but when it came to pure strength of the body he had never been able to even compare to her. He already knew this. This was about reminding her of it.

He started to struggle against her arms with everything he had. Esdeath's grip seemed unbreakable though. Holding his arms still while a smile spread across her face as he grunted and snorted. Showing her teeths to him. Then she calmly continued to lift his arms over his head, deliberately slow. Demonstrating who was stronger while keeping her gaze at his face.

When she had pulled his hands to the wall above his head he was already very sweaty. "You seem very warm, Tatsumi." Esdeath said in a sweet voice. "Do you want me to cool you down a bit?" Tatsumi's hands and wrists suddenly grew very cold as Esdeath locked them to the wall in a block of ice. Summoned from nothing.

Tatsumi winced and wheezed at the sudden ice cold sensation. Esdeath drank in his reaction with an ecstatic expression. She grabbed his hair with one of her hands and pulled it back before bending down and licking him across the right side of the face, from below his chin to above his eyebrow.

"So even after I catch you, you still try to oppose me,huh?" Esdeath said in a excited voice. Referring to how he managed to beat her in their hunting game.

"Oh, you have no idea." Tatsumi answered with a defiant smile. Referring to something completly diffrent.

"But now I have you. I won't be denied what is mine any longer." Esdeath said. Smiling a not very gentle smile at him.

He opened his mouth to retort but all that came out was a gasp as she pressed her knee into his crotch lightly. Watching his face with amusement as his expression got a bit more strained. She could feel that he was already more than ready for her. She jumped back a little bit, so that she sat on his knees. She didn't even bother with unbuttoning his pants. She broke all the clasps on them as she simply tore his pants off him. She then tore of his underwear as well.

She smiled a compassionate smile at his now exposed and erect manhood. "At least some parts of you seem to be fully aware of where they should be."

The first time they had both been naked had been much harder for Tatsumi than it had been for Esdeath. Partly because of a shyness he had and she didn't but also because of the embarrassment that Esdeath seemed to know more about his body than he did. She had a lot more experience with dealing with male and female bodies than he ever had. Though not in a sense of intimacy and love. She had still been inexperienced in that regard.

She had however learned a lot of things about the human body during torture sessions. The fact that she knew more about how his private parts worked ,and how they reacted to things, than he did had been a blow to his self-perceived manliness. Even if she could also tell him exactly how all his parts looked if you opened them up in diffrent horrible ways.

He had rather quickly after that come to shed all that kind of childish pride. Realizing that not only did it hamper him but it was completly impossible to uphold it when Esdeath was your partner.

Esdeath climbed up and snuggled a bit against his face. Whispering in his ear in a gentle voice. "I'm gonna have you now, Tatsumi." It almost sounded like a warning.

She grabbed his manhood and put him in position. Then she sat down on him in a slow determined motion. Until he was completly swallowed up inside of her.

A simple "gaah!" escaped Tatsumi's mouth as he was enveloped in the warm squeezing wetness of her womanhood. He knew he was not gonna last long.

She slowly started to move on top of him. Increasing her pace bit by bit. One of her hands cupped his face. "Tatsumi." she said in a low rough voice."This is where you belong."

He was already reaching the limits of his endurance in this.

He hadn't even been close to a woman in the last three weeks,much less been intimate with one. And now he was enveloped in Esdeath in all her carnal beauty. Her smell and warmth being ingrained into him again. Her caresses,kisses and squeezes were destroying all the resistance and control he could put up against his natural urges. In regards to his endurance in this specific field, he had been away from her for too long.

He clenched his teeth and hissed her name. He couldn't contain a moan from escaping his mouth as he spent himself inside her. Esdeath noticed that he had reached his peak and slowed her movements down a bit. Rhytmically squeezing him in slow strokes. When his moment came to an end she bent down and kissed him on the forehead.

"I hope you don't think you are done?" she whispered to him.

She started to move again, this time in more grinding motions. Esdeath now only seeking pleasure for herself.

Tatsumi drew a sharp breath. He was much more sensitive now and had a hard time suppressing his moans and whimpers. Every single little sound he made seemed to urge Esdeath on. Fueling her excitment. She put her fingers into the sides of his chest and digged the her nails into him.

She was close now. Her movements had become so forceful and intensive that Tatsumi felt like a ragdoll as he was pushed around under her. She just needed a little more to get over the edge. She moved one of her hands so that it's palm was pressed against the area under his armpit.

Tatsumi realized what she was gonna do. He lifted his head up. "Esdeath, wait a mome-"

She cut him off mid-sentence by putting her other hand over his face and pushing his head back into the pillows. Keeping it down while she went on with her buisness, still moving back and forth on top of him. She drew from her teigu's power and started to freeze the blood under the palm of her hand. Making his blood vessels expand unaturally fast. Not enough to make his muscles tear but enough to make him feel like like they were. It required precision but as long at she only did it with the palm of her hand it was an easy task.

This was far from the worst pain she had given to him. She had been far more generous in this area with him earlier but it was still not something to laugh about. Tatsumi closed his eyes and grit his teeth. He managed to at least muffle down his reaction a bit. It was still enough for Esdeath though.

She let go of his side and placed her hand on his chest and pressed down as the pinnacle of her pleasure smashed into her. Her shoulders shivered in bliss as she let out a long, deep and throaty moan. As soon as the highest peak of it descended, she lay down on top Tatsumi and put her mouth over his. She passionately forced her tongue into his mouth. Pressing his head down into the pillows again.

She grinded slowly and strongly against him for a little while longer. Slowing down until she finally came to a halt on top of him. She lifted her upper body up from him. Tatsumi breathed as if he had run a mile.

She rose up on her knees, disjoining herself from him. She remained standing with her arms at her sides for a few seconds. Staring at the ceiling while abosorbing the glory of the moment and the aftermath of the pleasure. Then she let herself fall down beside him with a light thump. The ice block holding Tatsumi's hands broke into splinters, as she did.

"Have you calmed down a bit?" he asked after a couple of seconds. His panting starting to slow down.

"Yeah" she answered with a dreamy sigh."At least a little bit."

"You actually got me a bit scared back there." he said. She giggled a little bit. Completly out of character with her usual demeanor.

"Then don't stay away from me for so long."

"No, seriously. I almost thought you were going to dismember and eat me." he said with a smile. "I have never seen you look so hungry before."

"Well, in a sense I was." she said. She reached out and grabbed him. Pulling him into her embrace. Placing her chin on the top of his head. "You know that I would never want to damage you in any serious way, Tatsumi."'

"Says the one who broke my arm a year ago." he said as he put an arm around her.

"You know that I didn't mean to do that. It was a simple training accident." Esdeath said. Sounding a little sad. "And I didn't break it. I fractured it lightly. Bones put under heavy presssure will grow stronger over time."

"Well, I have grown stronger, at least." He yawned into her bosom. Feeling more sleepy by the second. It seemed like all the trials of the day were catching up with him. "All the teasing aside, I can honestly say that I have been looking forward to resting here again."

"Then rest." she said. Starting to slowly stroke his head with a hand.

He snuggled in a bit closer to her and then finally came to a rest. Feeling at peace. For the moment.

"Tatsumi."

"Mhh?" he answered. Already half asleep.

"You belong to me." she whsipered in his ear, holding him a little tighter.

"I love you too,Esdeath."

"Aaahaa." She let out another long euphoric sigh. This was how things were supposed to be, she thought.

She would let him sleep for an hour or two before she woke him for another go. The sharpest edge of her need had been dulled but she was far from satisfied. She didn't want to use any drugs or teqhniques to make him more lively this time. Not tongiht. Tonight she just wanted to enjoy him as he was. So she would let him rest for a little while. She could feel how his heartbeats had slowed and how his breathing had gotten much steadier.

She put her head down to rest agains his. Slowly dozing off into a light sleep. Still relativly aware of her surroundings.

At about the same time, in the far western corner of the empire, imperial agents started sending out birds carrying letters and warnings of betrayal. Setting in motion a plan eighteen months in the making.

* * *

><p><strong>Author's note: <strong>

**And "The night before the storm" is done! **

**It is the first entry to this story that only follows one character through the whole thing.**

**I think most things that this fanfic will be doing has been showed off now. We have had a bit of drama, a bit of violence, the moral difficulties of our main character is somewhat explained and we have had the first lemon of the story. Everything is set up. In the next chapter the main story line will begin.**

**The next chapter will be back to normal size. It will however take a little longer than than usual for me since I have quite a lot of things to do. Expect it to be released in about 10 days. **

**The revelation this chapter gave me is that a visual medium such as a manga can have a much easier time in changing it's mood without coming of as too schizofrenic. AGK utilizes this pretty well since it can still have more lighthearted moments mashed into what is otherwise, a rather grim story. It can be harder to do without visualisation. This chapter continued from one of the sadder moments we have had so far and then transitioned into lemon. That kind of transistion can be hard to get smooth but I tried to make it work out.**

**As always, thanks A LOT for reading this story. I am so proud of every follower/favorite and every review/comment this story has gotten. If you like what this ride has been so far then stay around. Things are just about to take off.**

**Have a great day and take care of each other.**


	6. Setting fire to sleeping giants

**This one went faster than expected.**

**A friendly reminder that this is rated M for a reason. **

* * *

><p><strong>Setting fire to sleeping giants.<strong>

In the early morning, a young man was standing outside of Esdeath's chambers. Knocking on the big doors as the sun was rising. He carried the uniform of a messenger of the imperial court. He had been standing there for almost ten minutes now and was starting to grow restless.

He had tried to open the doors but they seemed to be jammed from the other side. He couldn't even get the handle down. He was now banging on the doors, almost as hard as he could. His friends would probably say that he was crazy to try and draw Esdeath out when she obviously didn't want to open. But he knew that fortune favours the bold. Besides, he did actually have a important message to deliver.

After a while he heard steps inside the chambers. He took a step back, dusted of his clothes and stood at attention. The steps stopped on the other side of the door. He expected to hear the sound of a lock being switched but it didn't come. After a couple of seconds he jumped up in the air as one of the doors were torn from it's hinges and pulled into the apartment.

Esdeath threw the door back into the room, not having the patience to try and fix the lock she had ruined yesterday. It crashed down on the floor with a loud bang. Making the young man flinch at the noise. She then turned to the soldier with a rather hard gaze. Waiting for him to explain himself.

The man had seen Esdeath before but always from afar. Now that he saw her up close he was not disappointed. She was worth all the trouble he had gone through to be assigned this task. She wasn't wearing her hat nor the gloves that reached up her arms. Neither was she wearing her calf high boots. She was basically standing barefooted in nothing but her uniform.

_This one is gonna be worth all the effort_, he thought, before straightening up once again.

"General Esdeath. I'am Isamu. I carry a message from the emperor himself." he said and saluted her.

She looked at him for a second and then turned around and walked back into the apartment. He walked in after her. Assuming that her lack of response was meant as an invitation. He took a couple of steps into the the big room and then stopped there. Watching Esdeath as she walked up to a bowl of fruits that was standing at one of the ornate tables in the room.

"Well?" she said in her authoritative voice, with her back turned to him as she picked up a fruit.

"The emperor has summoned an emergency meeting. All generals currently stationed in the capital are called to attend it. I have the official decree right here." He walked up to her and gave her a sealed letter. "Here you go, my beautiful lady."

Esdeath gave him an empty look before taking the letter and opening it. She started to read through all the seals and signatures affixed to the simple message while she took a bite from the fruit. After a little while she turned her gaze up to the military courier again. "Was there anything else?" she asked. Wondering why he was still there.

"General Esdeath, would you please listen to my request?"

She raised an eyebrow at him. Letting him speak his mind.

_Let's do this_, the young man thought. "Esdeath, I want you to start going out with me!"

_Stepping a bit out of line,are we?_,Esdeath thought. More amused than annoyed. "You are aware that I already have a partner?"

"I'am sure that he is great guy, my beautiful general, but I'am sure that I can make you happier than he can."

"You are a confident one, aren't you?"

"I have been a part of the imperial military for less than a year and I'am already carrying messages for the emperor." he said with confidence. "There are few who have risen as quick as I have among the military couriers."

Esdeath sized him up with her gaze. He was tall and very well trained. His face had some rather elegant features. He had a thick mop of blonde hair and bright blue eyes. Esdeath had a feeling that many girls had been swooned by those eyes. He smiled a confident smile at her. Showing off his white teeth.

"You are dismissed, soldier." Esdeath said and started to turn around.

"Wait, general Esdeath. Please just give me a chance. I promise that I will impress you!"

Esdeath would have had a lot of patience with him if he had just been performing his duty. But now he was venturing far outside of his duty and he was taking away from the time she could spend in bed with Tatsumi.

She turned to him. "Okay then," she put a hand on her hips. "..impress me."

Esdeath was not one to give people a second warning. If he was taking from her time after she had shown that she was unintrested then she would gladly emasculate him.

He was obviously taken aback a bit by that. "What? Right now?"

Esdeath just looked at him and took another bite from the fruit. Her sharp teeth tearing away the flesh from it.

The young Isamu was a bit unsure of how he should handle this. Usually he would just have gone in for a kiss or a suggestive embrace. Trying to sweep her of her feet by mere natural charm. However, he knew that this was not a woman you should get physical with, just like that.

The few seconds he spent considering his options was enough to make Esdeath run out of interest. For her, it was hard to find joy in breaking the confidence of people who displayed none. "Get out of my sight."she said in a disintrested voice. She turned around and started walking back to the bedroom.

Isamu decided that this battle was lost but he refused to give up on the war.

"As you command, but keep your eyes open for me, Esdeath. I will make sure that our paths cross each other again. And I promise that, next time, I will make you fall for me."

Esdeath looked at him over her shoulder.

She felt something stir in her deeper parts when she heard the gusto in his statement and saw the self-confidence he was so proudly displaying in front of her. That unwillingness to give up and how he refused to be denied awoke an urge in her.

She wanted to break him.

To bend that strong, youthful spirit until it snapped. She wanted to castrate and domesticate him. To break the beautiful wild creature until nothing remained but a limping shivering shell of a man. To destroy all his pride and dignity until she grew bored and discarded what remained of him. For the world to see how pathetic she had made him.

His promise about charming her had, unbeknownst to him, had the effect of making Esdeath feel challenged. And that made her urge to destroy and dominate him rise.

She quickly supressed and quelled these urges though. He was a servant of the empire and an ally to her. She would not make him suffer because of comments that could be interpreted as compliments. She was his superior and she had a duty to be fair to him as long as he did as he was bid. She had her standards.

"Okay, then." she said. Giving the man the first smile he had received since she had torn the doors open. "If you manage to catch my attention again, I will give you a new chance to show me your true value. If you impress me enough, I will offer you a chance to give yourself to me."

She gave him another glance over her shoulder before she started walking again. With the proper training she could probably turn him into a rather entertaining pet. For a little while at least. Usually her rather loyal nature towards her underlings wouldn't allow her to use their lives for entertainment purposes.

But he wasn't her subordinate though. Not one of hers. So should he actually choose to pledge his life to her, then...

She smiled as she walked back towards the bedroom.

The young man felt joy fill his body when he heard her words. Unaware of her motives. He bowed deep and gracefully towards her back. "Until next time then, beautiful ice queen."

He then turned around and started to walk out, feeling a bit more encouraged to continue his pursuit of her. The harder the conflict the more glorious the triumph, he thought as he walked past the attendants that had already gathered and started to replace the broken doors with new ones.

Esdeath walked back into the bedroom and closed the door behind her with her foot. She walked up and sat down on the bed with her back against the wall. Remaining in a sitting position with her legs up on the bed while she read through the last bit of the letter. Still holding the fruit.

She remained so for a little while and then put the letter down on her side. She reached down with her arm into the pile of sheets that was laying beside her and scooped up Tatsumi. One arm around his chest.

"Hey!" he halfheartedly yelled in a complaining tone.

She placed him between her legs so that his back rested against her stomach. His head falling back on her breasts.

"I could have been sleeping, you know?" he said.

"And you think I wouldn't be able to tell the diffrence?" she answered absentmindedly. She placed the fruit in front of his mouth, feeding him a bite while she picked up the letter again.

"So, how was this new admirer you have attracted?" He said as he chewed. Having heard the entire conversation. "Did he manage to get your interest?"

"Well, he was rather good looking and a bit of a hunk. He did seem to be used to get what he wanted." She raised the fruit to her mouth as she read through the letter again. "It could probably be fun to play around with him for a while." Her teeth tore into the fruit again.

Tatsumi made a mental note to go and meet this man and warn him of the path he was about to embark on. He was well aware of what Esdeath meant with that last sentence and there were very few people in the world that Tatsumi wished that fate upon. "Oh, so my partner's heart has been swayed by another man. Woe is me." he exclaimed.

"It's hard for him to sway what you have already stolen." she said casually as she put the letter on a nightstand by the bed.

"So he only managed to get your favor through pure carnal attraction. As a man, that's almost worse for me." he said. Feigning despair.

That actually made her laugh a little. "You already know that you are the only one that I react to in that way." she said. Her free hand slowly creeping down his well defined stomach in a very suggestive way.

"You're insatiable." Tatsumi said. Thinking about how little sleep he had actually gotten this night.

"Pretty much, yeah." she admitted. Taking another bite from the fruit. She was way to dominantly minded to be ashamed of any of her appetites. "But I'm afraid I don't have time to indulge anymore right now. I must leave pretty soon. I have been summoned by the emperor himself."

_Of course you have been_, Tatsumi thought. His excitment rising. He started to move out of her lap when he noticed something he had not been able to see during the night.

"Hey, have you gotten us some new bedclothes while I was gone?"

* * *

><p>"Have you ever thought about all the little inconveniences that it seems people in power are demanded to put their followers through?"<p>

Makeias mused to himself as he walked up the long stairs that led to the emperor's audience chamber."I mean, it seems pretty obvious that no one is going to have more people requesting an audience with him than the emperor himself."

He had two guards with him. People so long and slender that they almost did not look like humans. Part of a now long gone tribe.

Though I might as well have been talking with the wind, Makeias thought. Since these guards rarely spoke, unless forced to. "So why then, do you put his court room on one of the highest floors in the castle? Instead of placing it in a more central location. To demonstate superiority? That just seems insecure."

He scratched his mid section. His wound itched terribly today. He had never been a superstitious man but somehow his teigu always seemed irritate his body more when something unfavorable was about to happen to him. "What I'm trying to say is that I hate stairs."

They reached the end of the stairs and found themselves in the waiting room outside of the emperor's main audience chamber. Makeias could already hear the commotion on the other side of the big, closed doors leading into the room. His attention was however grabbed by a huge man standing in front of those doors. Surrounded by men from the imperial guard that the man in question was so proud of.

"Ahh, great general. I didn't get a chance to talk to you after the assembly, the other day." he exclaimed and walked up to the man and the ten guards that stood behind him. Makeias could tell he was not popular here from how silent they had gotten. As he got closer, they tensed up in a far more agressive way than what his rank usually caused people to do.

"General Makeias" Budo answered with hard look. Arms crossed over his chest.

"Your guards seems to be nervous. Or maybe they just don't like my clothes." Makeias said with a ridiculing smile.

"They just regard people that can't follow rules and orders as a liability." the great general answered in a hard tone. Still staring the other general in the eyes.

"Ohh, I wonder where they could have gotten that notion from."

"Don't play coy with me,general. I have been very clear about what I think about your last campaign.". Budo had always had a harsh demeanor but Makeias couldn't help but notice that his tone was a bit more unfriendly than usual.

"I accomplished my original mission, didn't I?" he said with a shrug.

"You were ordered to defend and take control of strategic positions along the border. Yet, you marched into another nation with an imperial army. Changing the empire from a defensive standpoint to an invading one in what has to be the biggest act of insubordination I have ever seen. Taking it upon yourself to decide what the empire's entire stance upon the situation was."

"Me taking things into my own hands brought one of the empire's more hostile neighbours to it's knees." Makeias defended. Still smiling.

"Which the emperor has rewarded you for. But he was too kind when he ignored all the protocols you breached to reach that goal. You should not have been allowed to keep your rank." the big man concluded.

"The rank you bestowed upon me. Have you forgotten?"

"I gave you that honor because you deserved it. Just as you deserved the rewards you recieved for humbling the foreign forces that challenged the empire. That does not wash away all the other acts you have done. Your good acts have been rewarded. Your bad ones should have been punished."

No love for the pillager here either, Makeias thought. Seems like there are few people in the capital that are happy that I returned. But that is probably pretty smart of them, all things considered.

"Well, sadly it is no longer your choice alone to make."

The great general simply closed his eyes. His expression as unmovingly stern as usual.

"Nowadays, you need the emperors mandate if you want to demote me. Its seems to me that the whole hierarchy of the military has become a bit more... _political_, since the last time I was here." he said with a knowing smile.

The great general opened his eyes but he directed them towards the stairs behind Makeias. Makeias could already tell that the last general in the capital had arrived. He turned to the stairs and watched how Esdeath climbed the last steps of them. Tatsumi walking a step behind her.

"Ahh, the ice queen has arrived to warm up the mood." Makeias exclaimed. Mockingly bowing lightly to her when she got close.

Esdeath smiled. "Ohh, are you a little bit grumpy today,pillager?" she said and patted his bowing head."Has the little boy not gotten enough sleep?". She sounded like she was talking to a dog. Turning his mockery upon him.

She seemed to be the only one in the city who had actually been enjoying his presence since he arrived, Makeias reflected, but he held no illusion that her playfulness meant the same thing as affection. He had seen how that same playful nature manifested itself when she fought and killed. Still, he prefered this over the chiding that so many other in the capital gave him.

Budo put his arms down from his chest. "All three of us have arrived. Behind me." The great general turned to the doors with a gesture for them to follow him.

Makeias straightened up. He looked at Tatsumi and gave him a smile. The younger boy nodded to him. A gesture that Esdeath did not miss.

She did not like it. Had they established some kind of relationship she did not know of?

While she often liked to play along with Makeias jests and jokes she made no mistake about the man's true nature. She knew that he was a schemer. Probably a pretty good one at that, if his military rank was any indication. She did not want him to involve her Tatsumi in whatever plans he was currently hatching. Hopefully she would get a chance to subdue Makeias enough to make him tell her about it in their sparring match later today. Otherwise she could maybe coax it out of Tatsumi in bed.

Budo pushed open the huge doors and walked into the audience chamber. The generals followed on his right and left side, only a few steps behind him. They walked up on the long red carpet that led to the end of the room where the emporer sat on his throne. Tatsumi and the other general's retinues walked off to the side and into the crowd of people that had gathered. Tatsumi himself went to the back of the room. Resting his back against the wall.

The room was filled with people but most of them grew silent when the great general entered. The front row was occupied by politicians and higher-ups within the military who had been taking turns to express their opinions and their advise to the young emperor. The emperor himself had remained silent through most of the meeting. Sitting high above on his throne with the prime minister standing at his side. He rose from his seat when the great general got closer.

The great general kneeled with dignity. The other two generals followed his example behind him. Esdeath gracefully and Makeias graceless.

"Emperor Makoto, the highest ranked military in the capital have gathered at your command. The imperial army is ready to do your bidding." Budo voice boomed through the hall.

The little emperor walked a couple of steps forward and then started what seemed lika a already rehearsed speech.

"Thank you for coming generals. The empire is in your debt, as always. " The little boy took a deep breath. "Each one of you have accomplishments that are known throughout the entire empire. You are the greatest fear of the empire's enemies and the biggest protectors of the empire's intrests. Sadly though, it seems that some of our enemies have been hiding in our own ranks. Generals, the warden of our western territories has betrayed us."

If any of the generals were suprised to hear this, they did not show it.

The empire was a huge nation so it was hard to control through a fully centralised government. Therefore, the imperial court had placed out four wardens across the empire. Their role was too see to it that the will of the empire was uphold and followed on a political level in their region. It was a powerful position politically. Even if they didn't have any authority in the military.

Tatsumi was standing in the back. Listening carefully, even if he already knew where this was going.

"This man has forsaken the trust and duty placed upon him by the empire. Our agents and spies have been able to reveal that he has, since a long time back, not only been working with the revolutionary army but also been trying to set up relationships with foreign countries against the empire's will." the little emperor went on.

It was a shame that the warden of the west had to go, Tatsumi reflected. He had been aiding the revolutionary army greatly. He sectretly opposed the slavery that was so abundant in the empire and he had tried to halt the escalating conflict between the empire and the western nations. It was a testimony to his intelligence that he had managed to stay undiscovered for so long. They revolutionary army had no ally who carried so much power within the empire.

But he was a necessary sacrifice. The first betrayal the empire would discover needed to be a a big one. And it needed to be real. If it was revealed that the first one in a long line of betrayals was faked and just a case of someone being framed, then all the ones that came after that would be doubted as well.

"Since the man was the warden of an entire region of the empire, I want each one of you to thoroughly look through all forces you have or have had stationed in his region. The traitor might have contacts hidden in your ranks." the little emperor ordered.

Tatsumi looked up at the prime minister who was standing a bit behind the emperor. The biggest betrayal in a long while needed to be destroyed thoroughly, he thought, but there is only one person you can trust with that mission. Budo might come to find out more things he can use to denounce you if he start searching through the information a traitor might have gathered about you, Tatsumi thought. And from what I could tell from the meeting with him yesterday, you don't got Makeias pinpointed. So you will have to use one of your older allies to root out this problem.

Tatsumi smiled.

"General Esdeath," emperor Makoto called out."You are widely regarded as our strongest warrior. You will go and demonstrate what it means to betray the empire."

Esdeath smiled. "It will be my pleasure, emperor Makoto."

Tatsumi wanted to kiss her for being the sadistic, terrifying monster that she was. She would make everything work. She would destroy the warden of the west without caring about the consequences. She wouldn't question the things she would find on his property. She would be glad to find what Tatsumi had hidden there.

"Budo and Makeias, when Esdeath has cut of the head from this snake, I want you to confiscate all the wardens resources and absorb what you can from his personal forces into your own. What can be saved and what can not will be up to your individual judgement."

"It will be done." Budo exclaimed. Makeias simply nodded.

"Now go and see my will be done." the young emperor shouted. Dismissing them with a wave of his arm.

The great general stood up and started to walk out. The other generals followed after him. Tatsumi left his position and started to head out to meet Esdeath outside. Behind him the meeting with the politicians continued. Arguing about who would get what part of the soon to be dead warden's properties and land. Like vultures circling a dying man.

When he came out to the waiting room outside, Makeias and Budo were already discussing who would take care of what part of the warden's forces. Esdeath was just sending away a courier with a message. The generals usual bickering immediately dicarded so that they could perform their duty.

He walked directly up to Esdeath. When she turned around he reached up and kissed her. Pressing his lips into hers with force, before she could react. Suprising her a little, since she usually had to be the one to take the initiativ.

Even if he for the moment had modulated himself into the role of her lover he couldn't help but feel a genuine affection towards her right now. Ever since Mine's death he had defined his entire existence around the destruction of the empire. And now she was going to help him do it. For a little while, she was gonna become that purpose. Even if she didn't know it. For the moment she was going to become his anger, his wrath, his _vengance_. And he loved her for it. At least in this moment.

Esdeath's suprise lasted less than a second before she answered in kind. Unwilling to be outdone or on the recieving end even in this area. If he was demonstrating his love for her then she would show how much greater her love for him was.

She immediately wrapped her arms around him and lifted him until he stood on his toes. Making out with him with such enthusiasm that he felt like she was eating his face. Breathing heavily with a focused look in her eyes. She pulled back from from his face and smiled a ravenous smile at him. "To think that you already have regained some hunger after tonight. You really are the one for me."

She leaned in a bit his lower lip. Pulling it out while watching how a pained expression formed on Tatsumi face. Her own expression growing more amused.

Tatsumi was already regretting that he had let his feelings go for a moment. Esdeath had never felt any shame about these kind of things. Always proud to show the world her desires and wishes. Daring anyone to oppose her.

But now he was starting to worry about how far she was intending to go. Considering where they were. He did not try to stop her though. The fire that had briefly been ignited for her in him still burned in embers and every part of him that could be defined as male was screaming for more. He actually felt a slight irritation when her attention was forced away from him.

"Do you ever get that feeling of déjà vu?" Makeias asked, suddenly standing a mere two meters away from them. Tatsumi had not even noticed that he had walked up to them. He had been too engrossed with the thought of having Esdeath fight for his cause. He hadn't even noticed that the great general had already left.

Esdeath looked at Makeias with unconcealed anger. Twice had he stopped her intimate moments with Tatsumi now. Makeias noted that he actually got a slightly irritated glance from Tatsumi as well, this time.

_Well, nothing like an common enemy to bring people together_ ,he thought. "Spare me your grievances." he said. His smile got a condescending tone and he turned to Esdeath. "We have work to do. When are you leaving?"'

"Within an hour or so." Esdeath answered. Lightening her hold on Tatsumi a little bit. Letting his heels hit the ground.

"Good. I have talked with Budo and we have come to an agreement about our proceedings. We will start taking over and recruiting all the forces belonging to the warden of the west by nightfall. See to it that he has been unseated by then and make sure that his forces know about it."

He turned around and started to walk to his two guardsmen, who were waiting for him by the stairs. "Oh, by the way," he turned around." I guess this means that we will have to postpone our little sparring match." he said. His sly smile returning.

"We will have it as soon as possible after I have returned." Esdeath answered. It was more a statement than a suggestion.

Makeias nodded and then turned around and walked away.

Esdeath watched him as he left. When they were alone Tatsumi answered to her embrace. Moving his arms around her slender,yet insanely strong back. His hands grabbed hold of her uniform. He put his forehead down where her collarbones met. "Don't you dare die on me now."

It was a completly genuine request. If she somehow died now, everything he had planned would collapse. Now it had started. Now he relied upon her strenght.

But there was also something else inside of him that didn't want her to disappear. Something born from what had awoken in him when it was finally decided that she would inadvertently help him with his goals.

And it scared him.

Esdeath was once again suprised by her lover. Through all of the bickering, arguments and disagreements they had had she had never heard him voice concerns about her survival. She felt a little bit of warmth fill her since his concern was just another form of affection. It did, however, make her wonder why he was worried now, all of a sudden. This was not gonna be a dangerous task for her and he knew it. So why then?

She put that question aside for later,though. Now she was busy with just enjoying the feeling of him clinging desperatly to her. Like she was all he had. It was rare for him to be the clingy one of them.

She stood there for a couple of seconds. Simply enjoying the sensation for awhile before reaching up with an arm and starting to stroke his head.

"Hey." she said softly. "Have you forgotten who you are talking to?" She took hold of his hair and gently bent his face up so that she could look down on his eyes. Giving him a smile that was partly dangerous and partly caring.

Tatsumi's eyes narrowed a little bit. "I will haunt you through whatever hell is waiting for you if you leave me behind in this world now."

Esdeath's smile grew wider. "That only means that if there is an afterlife, I will have you with me there as well."

Tatsumi smiled and shook his head. "Crazy woman."

"Stubborn little boy." she returned. Rubbing her chin against his temple.

She took a deep breath of his hair before letting him go. "Now I have a politician I need to remove from his office. Don't do anything that you will regret while I'm gone, okay?"

She had briefly considered taking him with her on this mission but she had been ordered to make an example of the warden of the west and she intended to make that as entertaining as possible. Tatsumi would not enjoy this mission so she had chosen to let him stay. The bigger part of her was proud that she now had the restraint to make that choice. A year ago she would have dragged him with her either way.

But there was still a small part of her, a part more driven by instincts than reason, that for some reason was telling her that she shouldn't leave Tatsumi alone. That was not something unusual for her to feel though so she quelled it pretty quick. Even if it was a bit more agressive than usual this time.

"Yeah,yeah" he said while scratching the back of his head.

"I will probably be back tomorrow. Leave a message in the bedroom, telling me where you are if you go out. So that I can come and find you when I return."

"Okay"

She brought up a hand and cupped his face for a short moment, looking deeply into his eyes. Then she turned around and left without another word.

He watched her head disappear down the stair and then remained standing there for a minute.

"I won't do anything that I will regret." he said silently and started walking out of the room as well.

* * *

><p>In one of the castle's many training yards, Wave was standing and shouting at a small group of warriors. Training them hard in diffrent forms of close combat.<p>

"I prefer that you are alive and resenting me, than dead because I wasn't harsh enough on you." he shouted to a couple of his trainees that had started to complain. "Now keep it up!"

He was interrupted from lecturing them further by a voice behind him. "Wave of the jaegers. Do you have a minute?"

Oboy, Wave thought as he turned around to the familiar voice.

Bellany was standing in the middle of the entry to the training yard. Together with a couple of other soldiers that Wave did not recognize.

He made no attempt look enthusiastic about meeting her again. "Why are you here, Bellany?"

"I need to talk to you,Wave. It is quite important." Bellany said.

He sighed. "Fine.". He turned to the students."Keep doing your exercises until I return."

He walked to Bellany, who turned around and walked out of the yard. Wave following her and the soldiers following behind him. When they were out of earshot from those in the yard she turned around to him.

"Are those the warriors you have been training to become jaegers? They seem to hold quite a lot of potential" she said with a friendly smile.

Wave noticed how the soldiers she had brought with her closed a circle around them. He smiled. "Thanks, Bellany. Sadly Esdeath doesn't seem to believe that much in them but I will try to give them a chance." He crossed his arms over his chest. Still smiling. "And you should have brought more soldiers if you wanted to intimidate me."

Now it was Bellany's turn to sigh. "Why must you always make our interactions so difficult,Wave? I have always been kind to you."

"You are too intelligent to not be able to figure that out."

"No, I really don't understand. Why do you take that former vigilante's side in all matters?"

"Why don't you give him a chance?"

"Why does he deserve one? You know how many people there are that fall victims to the internal conflict within the empire. What did he do to deserve the chance that everyone else didn't get."

_Well, he caught the attention of the strongest warrior in the empire_, Wave thought. The injustice was not lost on him but that didn't mean that Tatsumi should be punished for having that amazing stroke of luck. That didn't seem right to him at all.

"You trust Esdeath completly in almost everything Bellany. This is well known. So why do you doubt her judgement when it comes to Tatsumi?"

Bellany looked at him with irritation. "This isn't getting us anywhere. Wave, I haven't come here to try and intimidate you. I do have a serious question that I hope that you can answer to truthfully, despite our diffrent opinions."

"Shoot!" Wave said in a rather up-beat tone.

"A bit past dinner yesterday, Tatsumi visited the dungeons. More specifically, his old Night raid comrade. Do you know anything of this?"

"No. Not at all actually." Wave answered. Genuinely suprised.

"You were seen walking with him just a little while after his visit. He didn't tell you anything about it?"

_You seem to have a lot of eyes backing you up, Bellany_, Wave thought. "Nope. We did indeed talk about the prisoner but thats it."

"What were Tatsumi's thoughts on having his old comrade on death roll?" Bellany asked. More intrested than spiteful.

"Why don't you go ask him? If you yourself are so utterly lacking in imagination." He turned to leave. "Now if there was nothing else, I have some students that need my help. Even if they don't know it themselves."

"No, thats all, Wave." She said tiredly. "Go. Make them as good as you can. God knows we need more people like you in the army." Bellany signaled to the soldiers to let him pass.

Despite the rather cold atmosphere, Wave decided to shoot her a kind smile before he walked off.

Bellany watched him go. He was such a good soldier, she thought. Loyal, caring, strong and always thinking about what was best for the empire as a whole. It was such a pity that his judgement failed him on this issue. But even her beloved general seemed to have made a mistake when it came to Tatsumi so she really couldn't blame Wave that much.

When he had disappeared from sight she turned to the soldier nearest her, "I want Tatsumi put under complete surveillance while Esdeath is gone. If he does anything strange I want to know it within an hour."

* * *

><p>Later in the evening, chaos ensued on a large estat in the middle of the empire's western regions. People were bustling around inside the large manor. Trying to get everything ready for the unlpanned event that had ocurred.<p>

Esdeath had payed a suprise visit to the warden of the west's home. Coming alone, flying on top of her dragon.

Everyone was unsure as to why she was there but the warden had chosen to bring out all the hospitality the manor could muster. It was not often you got such an important visitor.

When Esdeath had landed and walked up to the front doors they opened up for her. A butler she thought she had seen before came out to meet her.

"Lady Esdeath, we are most honored by your visit. As always. The warden is waiting for you. Can I help you with any luggage or equipment you do not wish to carry around."

Esdeath smiled a intrigued smile. "No, not at all. I have brought a smaller garrison with me but I choose to fly a bit ahead of them so that I could talk a bit with my old acquaintance. Lead me to him."

"This way, my lady."

He led here to a room with a lot of paintings on the walls and a large open fireplace with two great armchair next to it. The warden of the west was standing in the middle of the room. Waiting for her arrival. He was a man in his late fifties. He was rather overweight and had a muastache and long sideburns. His hair white and grey. He had dressed up to the occasion. Wearing a black tailcoat and a top hat. A golden monocle sitting over his left eye.

He immediately walked up to her when she entered."Ahh Esdeath, you grow more beautiful every time I see you!"

He bowed down and kissed her hand. "While I only grow more ugly with every day. May I offer you some wine? I have saved some of that vintage wine you liked the last time you dined here at my manor."

"Some wine would be delightful" she answered with a smile.

The older man nodded towards the butler who quickly walked out of the room."Have a seat." he said and gestured to the armchairs in front of the fireplace. Sitting down in one of them himself.

She sat down in the other one. Resting her rapier against the side of it.

"So, two visits from the empire's most acclaimed general in six months. To what do I owe this honor?" He said with a smile. He took forth a pipe and started filling it with tobacco. The butler had returned and was filling up two wine glasses and putting them on a small table standing between their chairs.

"Oh, you have made both these visits happen on your own." She answered with a calm smile. Picking up one of the glasses.

"Do explain, my fair lady. Oh, and by the way, I hope that you will be staying for dinner? The chefs are dying for a chance to impress you." he said with another big smile.

"I will be staying here for a while but your chefs will not cook another meal in their lives." She said and took a sip of the wine.

The older man was just about to light his pipe but stopped in the middle of the motion. "What do you mean, my lady?"

She looked over at him with amused eyes. "I have come here to demonstrate what happens to those that betray the empire. Such as yourself."

The warden brought his pipe down. "I don't understand what you mean, general Esdeath?"

"There is no purpose in denying it. The emperor has already issued the order." She said and took another sip of his wine.

The warden was no fool. He knew that if the order was already issued, there was no going back. He put his pipe down beside his wine glass.

"Is that it? Have you just come here to kill me in my own home" he said. All the mirth and joy gone from his voice. Revealing the distressed state he had been in since he had heard about her arrival.

"No, I won't kill you here." Esdeath said with a casual tone. As if she was talking about the weather. "I was tasked with making an example out of you. I will hurt you a bit here but I will bring you back to the capital. There I will show you off to the public after I have... _reduced you a bit_. Then you will die."

The older man had seen examples of what she did when she _reduced_ her opponents. She had once visited his estate right after a bigger battle and had brought the leader of the opposing forces with her. Esdeath had crushed the man until he was little more than dog. Leading him around with a leash, naked and crawling on all fours.

She had apparently been parading him around in front of the people that had believed in him and the soldiers that had put their trust in him. Making him run around, do tricks and lick the ground she had walked on. She grew tired of him after she arrived at the warden's estate though. So she told him to to go and try to fight her pet dragon with a stick, which he happily did. Both getting rid of the unwanted pet and feeding her steed at the same time. She hadn't even stayed to watch it but the warden had. He had nightmares about it weeks after that.

He swallowed hard. His throat dry.

"And you have no qualms about this at all? After all the kindness and hospitality I have shown you? Haven't we known each other ever since you became a general?" He looked her straight in the eyes but the gaze he was met with held no sympathy or compassion.

"You made a huge mistake when you chose to oppose the empire that I represent. I thought you would have been smart enought to understand that." she said. Still wearing a calm smile. Even if it now had a darker tinge to it.

"The only reason I started negotiations with the western countries in sectret was to lessen the hate and racism that is growing on both sides of the war."

"I have been told that you have been harbouring other people's slaves and vigilantes fleeing from the imperial court, as well."

"All I have done is to save the orphans and refugees this conflict within the empire has created." he said. Keeping a proud tone. Even if his face was getting sweaty.

"By giving them to the revolutionary army?" Esdeath's smile got a mocking tone to it. "Knowing that they would go up against me and my kind sooner or later? Not that I mind but didn't you realize how futile that idea was?"

The old man took a steadying breath. Grabbing hold of the arms of his chair in order to conceal how much his hands were shaking. "I may not look like it, but I believe that it is better to die fighting than living your life begging on your knees. Can't you at least relate to that?"

"I can understand that some people choose death instead of life. It seems reasonable if they can't handle the conditions they have to live under. Doesn't mean that I relate to them." She looked over at him again. Smiling a smile that almost seemed joyful. "And believe me, you yourself will be begging in the end either way."

"So you will treat me just like every other enemy you have faced?"

"I can't say that I have high hopes about your endurance. The spirit usually breaks pretty quick when your body is not used to pain." she poured herself some more wine from the bottle the butler had left on the table. "So I don't think I will get much entertainment out of you. But I am intrested in how your squeals will sound since you have such a dignified voice normally." she said nonchalantly.

"What about the staff of my estate?"

"My garrsion should be here any minute. You will be the only one I bring back alive to the capital."

The older man sent a gaze to his butler who was standing in the back of the room. The other man nodded and slowly started to leave. Esdeath noticed it without looking but she didn't care. Her hunters would catch most of those who tried to run away. She smiled at the warden and when he returned his eyes to her she slowly shook her head.

She reached over and took the wine bottle. "But I must say, this wine is really good. I should get a hold of some for myself." she said as she read the labels on the bottle.

"General Esdeath!" the old man gathered all the resolve he had. He rose up and walked over to her. He kneeled in front of her chair. "Please, I beg you." With shaking hands he took of his top hat and bent his head down in front of her. His pretty monocle falling down on the carpet.

"I have almost a hundred peolpe working for me here. Only four or five of them knew anything of this. Please let the other ones go. For the all the food and wine, for all the words and rest I have offered you, please do me this last favour." he said. His voice unsteady as he begged the girl who was young enough to be his daughter.

Esdeath slowly placed one of her boots on top of his sweaty head. Pushing it down slightly as she drank from her wine glass. Considering his request. In the end her sense of loyalty got the upper hand. He had treated her to a lot of good meals.

"Fine. If you bring me the ones who knew of this, then I will only kill a tenth of the people you have working here. The rest may go."

"Will you let me go and tell them?"

She considered it for a moment."Yeah, I will give you a little time. My garrison isn't quite here yet, it would seem. And I am sure you know that you can't escape me."

The older man nodded and rose up. Leaving his monocle and hat lying on the floor. He straightened up and walked out of the room with all the pride he could muster.

Esdeath remained sitting there for a while. Looking at the fire while drinking the last of the wine. The old man seemed to have some spirit left in him, she thought. Maybe this would be enjoyable after all.

She suddenly heard a scream from the floor above her. She got a premonition and rose up. She grabbed her weapon and walked out of the room at a fast pace. After a little while she found stairs leading up to the second floor. She walked for half a minute before she found the source of the scream.

It was a young maid who were sitting down in the entry of a doorway leading into what seemed to be a small study. Covering her gaping mouth with her hands. Tears running down her face.

How boring, Esdeath thought as she looked into the study.

The warden of the empire's western territories was hanging from a beam in the roof with a rope around his neck. His body swaying slightly. A chair laying tipped over at his feet.

I guess he was lucky he was so heavy,she thought. If the fall hadn't snapped his neck, I might have discovered him before his death.

"If this is what you meant when you said that you prefered to die fighting then I am not impressed." she said. She walked forward and cut off the rope holding the body up. Watching it fall down to the floor. "Then again," she smiled and adjusted her cap with her hand,"you did actually manage to escape me."

She shook her head and turned around to the maid who was now sobbing. Her face hidden in her hands.

"I guess we will have to settle for making an example out of a hundred little servants."

* * *

><p>Tatsumi walked into the same old restaurant that he had fallen asleep in the other night. This time he just walked up to the counter and ordered a beer. When he had gotten his bevearages he payed the barmaiden who was serving him. She gave him his receipt along with a bottle filled with some kind of dark liquid. He took them and walked off to a table.<p>

He sat there alone for a while. Slowly working his way through the beer. When he felt that he no longer had any attention on him he gave the receipt a closer look. He looked through the numbers. Finding the values he was searching for.

Okay, he thought. One hour then I will move out. He looked out through one of the windows of the bar. It was almost midnight and the streets in this part of the city were not well lit. This was a good starting point. He would need to move away a bit from this bar before he began with his mission though. In case someone would recognize him.

He had actually been coming to this place a little bit too regulary during the last two months. He needed to find another contact to go through somewhere in the capital. If this continued on it would be easy to trace him to this place. Should he be caught.

He looked down on Incursio. Making sure that it was properly wrapped up in cloth. Disgused as a normal sword. He would need it tonight. His mission tonight would be relatively easy but it was one of the more important steps in the bigger picture. Setting everything up for tonight had also been very troublesome. It had required a lot of people. So it had taken it's sweet time. But now everything was ready. Now he just needed to light the fire. Literally.

When he felt that enough time had passed he grabbed the untouched bottle and left the bar with it. Moving down into the smaller and darker alleyways of the slum. After a little while he stopped in a backyard between two houses. He attached the bottle he was carrying to his belt.

He started to take in his surroundings as well as he could. He couldn't detect anyone else. He took a deep breath. _Here we go._

He jumped up as silently as he could. Doing some small wall jumps between the two building until he reached the roof of one of them. When he was up on the roof he started to move in long quick jumps between rooftoops. Moving towards the nearest military district.

This, along with his starting position, had all been meant to make it harder to follow him or discern his final destination.

He jumped over a couple more rooftops and then stopped when he reached the wall that cut off the military district he was moving towards from the civilian houses. He could see his destination from here.

A huge stone building just some kilometers away. The imperial archives.

The one place where all the history and background of the military was documented. Along with all the information and identification of every soldier in the military and their backgrounds. Every battle report, every order issued, every mission summary and every written rule about military conduct was kept there. Without it, the imperial army would be one step closer to chaos.

It had been considered as a target by the revolutionary army many times but due to how close it was to the palace it had never been attempted. Plus the fact that the building was huge and made entirely out of stone. You would need a couple of really big barrels of fuel and a great deal of time if you wanted to destroy the important papers inside of the building walls. It was almost impossible to accomplish from the outside.

However, if you already had a lot of fuel hidden inside of the building, it was a diffrent story.

If you had flammable fuel hidden away in the covers of countless of books that had been borrowed and then returned. If you had fuel dyed into the pages of hundreds of mission reports. Turned in by many diffrent people over the course of six months. If you had all that and the positions of the hidden fuel mapped out properly, then you would only need a liter of fuel to turn it all aflame in a minute or two. He reached down with a hand to ensure that the bottle was still attached to his side.

Tatsumi smiled. _Let's go start a fire!_ ,he thought.

He grabbed Incursio, transformed and immediately turned invisible. He planted both his feet into the roof and jumped over the wall.

Unaware that he had been watched until the moment he turned invisible. Through a pair of binoculars from very far away.

* * *

><p><strong>Author's note:<strong>

**A bit of a build-up chapter for the two next ones. For some reason I was able write this faster then I had expected. Don't really know why. My schedule will have cleared up after the week-end so expect the next one in about 7 days.**

**The last chapter was so littered with spelling mistakes that I actually had to go back and correct the worst parts of it. Hopefully this one is better. I would like to avoid having to spend time on correcting old mistakes since it takes time that I could be using to get a new chapter out. So I might have to get someone to spell check or betaread this story if it continues to get more followers.**

**As always, thanks for reading this little story of mine. I sound like a broken record but the fact that people have taken an intrest in it makes it a lot more fun for me to do. Heck, if no one had followed it I would probably have dropped it after the last chapter I released. So thanks once again.**

**Have a good day and take care of each other.**


	7. Plans and flames

**Another deadline that I miraculously made it in time to. **

**A little shorter chapter this time, though.**

* * *

><p><strong>Plans and flames.<strong>

The wildlife ran away from the smoke and the smell of fire and burnt flesh.

It was well past midnight but the entire area around the huge estate was lit up by the fires that reached up into the dark sky. The estate itself had consisted of several houses and two stables. Only one of the houses was not afire.

Archers were standing outside of the stables that were burning. Taking bets and competing about who and how fast they could manage to take down the burning horses and cows that came running out of the burning building in panic.

About forty people were huddling together in the middle of the property. Surrounded by soldiers. Twenty of them were going to be taken back to the capital. There to be tortured and killed in public. Taking the place of the already dead warden. The other twenty were going to be crucified on the estate. Left there for anyone who passes by to see. They only waited for the soldiers to have their fun first.

Esdeath had given the other sixty servants of the warden to her garrison to do with as they wished. She had always found it important to reward her troops for their work. This was no diffrent. She had determined the fate of forty of the servants. They would get to decide what happened to the rest.

Some of her troops were now in the forests around the estate. Hunting those that had fled. A few of her hunters had been so confident that they had let a couple of people get away on purpose. Just so that they could enjoy hunting them. Esdeath knew that few of them would get away.

Most of the women were in the only building that was not burning. Dragged there screaming by soldiers wishing to use them for sexual relief. In the fields around the burning houses some of the riders of the garrison were chasing around the stableboys and the girls that no one had dragged away to be raped. Chasing them back and forth through the fields on top of their horses. Running over those that fell over or couldn't keep up.

Esdeath walked through the destruction. Disinterested in most of it. One of her boots were dyed red almost up to the knee. She had tried to find som enjoyment in the guards the warden had stationed around the premise but they had died way to fast. Between the warden managing to escape her grasp through death and the absolutely pathetic capabilities of his household guards, this mission was turning out to be a big disappointment. There was nothing left here that could entertain her at all.

She sighed in irritation. She wanted to go home to her Tatsumi.

She walked up to the middle of the property where her soldiers had gathered the people that were going to crucified or transported to the capital. Her own mount was waiting for her beside them. The warden's dead body was tied up on top of it. The body was going to be taken back to the capital and displayed at a public location. Her second-in-command was standing beside her mount, waiting for her orders.

She walked up towards the dragon. "I don't intend to stay here for much longer. Tell the soldiers to finish up." she said to the man in a commanding tone.

"Yes, general!" the man answered and marched of at a brisk pace.

Esdeath cast a glance over to the forty people that were sitting on their knees. Waiting for their inevitable death. Most of them were hunched over. Some sobs could be heard in the crowd. A couple of them dared to cast a glance towards her but they were few and far between. No one dared to meet her gaze.

She was bored. _Maybe I should have brought Tatsumi along after all_, she thought sullenly before her attention was grabbed by a couple of soldiers dragging a young man towards her. She turned to them and looked at the soldier closest to her.

"Sorry to disturb you ,general, but this prisoner insists that he has something important to tell you. We were about to shut him up but it seems like he actually knows quite a lot about the warden's secret dealings."

Esdeath looked down at the prisoner. He was slightly beat up. His lip was broken and he had an ugly wound on his forehead. He was a bit shorter than her and had black hair and brown eyes. He could not be out of his teenage years yet.

"The warden is dead already. What information can you offer me that would be useful, now that all his dealings in this world are done." She placed her hands on her hips.

The boy looked up at her. "Believe me, my lady. You want to hear what I have to say."

She gave him a dull look."Do you know who I am?"

The young man nodded.

"Then you should know that this is not my first time doing this. How many times do you think people have tried to buy time from me by promising that they were sitting on valuable information?"

The boy was unpertubed. "Then they were fools. I'm diffrent! The warden of the west was not working alone. I can provide you with proof."

"Tell me about this proof you speak of." Esdeath answered. Sounding a little bit more interested.

"Not so fast." the young man exclaimed with suprising vigour. "Give me your word that you will let me and two other persons of my chosing go free. If you promise me that, I will tell you everything I know."

"I will decide how to reward you depending on the information you give me." Esdeath answered in a hard tone.

"I will not tell you anything until you give me your word." he said. Looking her in the eyes defiantly. The soldiers holding him looked at each other uncomfortably. The boy was about to make a huge mistake.

"I will not ask you again."

"Then I guess you might as well kill me here. If you don't give me your word, I won't tell you anything!" the boy shouted angrily.

Esdeath looked at him for a couple of seconds. Then a smile formed on her face.

"Ohh you will, little boy." she said in a much more gentle tone. She reached up and trailed two elegant fingers down his chin lightly. "You will."

She looked up at the soldiers. "Lock him up in an empty room in the remaining building. I will handle his questioning personally. After that you can go and tell the rest of the soldiers to finish up. We are leaving before sunrise."

"Yes, general." The soldiers said in unison. The boy was now looking a bit uncertain as they dragged him off.

Esdeath turned and walked up to the dragon, which obediently lowered it's head when she got close. She walked up to it's side and dislodged one of the small bags that were attached to it with ropes and belts. She checked it's content to see that all she needed was there.

She smiled. At least she would have something to do for a while.

* * *

><p>Bellany sneaked her way through the military district. Heading right for the imperial archives.<p>

It was not hard to figure out where Tatsumi was heading. This military district consisted mainly of barracks, armouries and the archives. There was no weapon in the armouries that could match a teigu and if he wanted to talk to someone in the barracks he would have done so during the day when he could do it in public without anybody thinking anything was out of the ordinary.

Considering that he had gone through the trouble of jumping over the rooftops and activating his Incursio, this was probably something big. And the most important place around was the big stone building that contained the empire's military archives. Her guess was that he intended to steal a couple of files or maybe alter some of them in order to protect some of his friends in the revolutionary army.

She had gotten the notice that the soldiers that were following Tatsumi had lost him just thirty minutes ago. They had seen him activate his teigu but then he had disappeared from their sight. They had been very apologetic fot what they thought were a failure on their part but Bellany was well aware of Incursio's abilities.

She had , however, opted for going after Tatsumi alone. And she was gonna try to sneak in after him.

She wanted to catch him in the act. That was the only way she was gonna be able to reveal his true nature to Esdeath.

That however,might require her to break some rules. It was necessary if she was gonna be able to follow him. If she alerted the guards stationed around and inside the building then Tatsumi would just postpone whatever plans he had until later and disappear into the night. If she demanded entrance into the archives herself it would probably give the same results.

So she was gonna sneak in after him. Which was why she hadn't taken any soldiers with her. They might follow her into this if she asked them but she didn't want to force them to break the law out of loyalty to her. Not when she was only acting on a hunch.

She closed in on the huge building. She climbed up on the roof of one of the houses close to it. Keeping her presence concealed. When she was up on the roof she looked around and made sure that nobody had noticed her. After that she jumped over to the roof of the imperial archives as silently as she could.

The biggest problem was, of course, Incursio's ability to stay invisible for an extended time. Unlike her pawns, she was well-read about the diffrent teigu users in the empire's service. She knew about Incursio's abilities and she knew that he couldn't stay invisible forever. Even if he managed to stay invisible through his entire visit, she would still be able to hear him and see the things he touched. She still felt confident that she could do it. She had started her military career as a scout. Now she would get use out of all the abilities she had trained up during that time. She just had to stay completly on edge.

She moved over to one of the walls, attached a rope to the roof and climbed down to one of the highest windows and started to pick it's lock from the outside.

She was pretty sure that Tatsumi was already inside by now. If he was not, then she simply just needed to sneak out without anybody noticing her.

When the lock was open she climbed in through the window into a small room filled with chairs and tables. Some kind of storage room, she concluded. She silently closed the window behind her after cutting of her rope and then snuck out of the room.

She knew the layout of this building pretty well. She had spent many days within these walls. Organizing reports and documentations of campaings concerning Esdeath's legions. She had a couple of guesses of where Tatsumi would go.

She started to slowly search through the dark halls. Keeping herself hidden and avoiding the occasional guard patrol that came walking through. She stayed in each room for a good ten minutes before moving on. Trying to detect any sound or movement. Keeping all her senses as sharp as she could.

She was sneaking through one of these rooms when she, by pure happenstance, put her hand on one of the bookshelves and noticed a damp sensation against her fingers. She was a bit suprised. She smelled the liquid but it seemed to be scentless. After further inspection she found that there was a small trail of the sticky liquid going down from the bookshelf and leading away across the floor.

She was certain that this was Tatsumi's doing. She followed the trail silently. It was not more than an inch wide but it lead her through room after room. It lead up to diffrent shelves and drawers but then always trailed down to the floor again. Continuing away into the next room.

The trail came to an end in yet another large room. Filled with rows of bookshelves. She halted, unsure if she had gone the wrong way. But no sooner had she stopped before she heard a silent "plop". It sounded like a bottle being opened.

She immediately crouched down. He was in this room. She was certain of it. She needed to conceal herself immediately. She sneaked up to one of the many bookshelves in the room and then jumped up on top of it as silently as she could. She stayed completly still there for a moment. Listening for any sound that might reveal his location. She couldn't hear anything though.

She stayed up there for some moments. Then she slowly started to move along the top of the bookshelf. Crawling on top of it. Looking around to see if she could detect any motions or changes in the scenery that would reveal his location. She got to the end of it but she still had no idea of where he was.

She was about to jump down from the shelf when she heard the sound of two stones hitting each other. She looked over and saw a faint light emanating up from between some shelves on the other side of the room.

She immediately drew her weapon. A long and extremly thin dagger. It was coated in a paralyzing poison. She only needed to get a small cut on Tatsumi and he would be rendered helpless. Then she could easily bring him before justice without any resistance at all from his part.

She quickly jumped across the shelves until she finally was able to see him. He was crouching with his back against her. He was looking over past the corner of the shelf that he was crouching beside. He was not wearing the armour that was his teigu so she guessed that he had dismissed it temporarily. He was holding a small torch in his hand and had an opened bottle standing beside him on the floor.

Bellany felt how a feeling of accomplishment filled her. She had been right about him all along. No one else had realized his true colours but she had. This was no time for self-admiration, though. She moved the long dagger into her right hand. She leaned over the edge as much as she could before lightly kicking away from it. Launching herself towards his back without making a sound.

Somehow he still managed to detect her though.

In the last second he shifted his body to the side so that her first stab with the knife missed him. She had however put herself in a position in the air where she could cope with that mistake. When he avoided the knife she immediatly kicked out with her leg before even touching the ground. Hitting him in the back with a powerful kick. He was sent tumbling forward and knocked over the bottle that was standing beside him. It's content pouring out on the floor.

He quickly regained his feet and turned around just in time to stop her next stab. She was aiming for his shoulder but he dropped the torch and managed to grab her arm with both his hands. Halting it's movement just in time. Yet again Bellany kicked against his side and once again he had no way of defending against it. He let go of her arm as he was sent flying a couple of meters through the air and landed on his side.

Bellany was hot on his trail again. This time she launched herself against his legs. Ready with her dagger. He would not be able to avoid her now that he was laying down and even if he answered with a kick she would still be able to get a small cut in him and then she would have won.

He did indeed answer with a kick. But just as his leg was about to connect with the knife it became armour-clad. The armout materializing from thin air, right in front of her eyes.

Bellany didn't know that these days, Tatsumi could summon Incursio without even touching the teigu. He just needed to have it a couple of centimeters from his body.

Being able to summon Incursio effectively had been the first thing Esdeath had trained him to do. He had already been pretty proficient at doing so without any trouble but the standards that Esdeath demanded of him had been far higher.

She had been particulary unforgiving during this training since she saw this as the best way to increase his survival ratio. If he could summon it effortlessly, in the blink of an eye, then he would have a much better chance to survive suprise attacks from assassins. So she had been completly ruthless when training him in this matter. Putting every little trick she knew about training to use on him, to try and make sure that he would stay in this world with her.

And it had given results.

His leg knocked the knife out of Bellany's hand and smashed into her shoulder. Sending her flying backwards. She rolled over a couple of times before quickly standing up again. Picking up her dagger that was laying on the floor beside her.

Less than three seconds had passed since he avoided her first cut. As Bellany straightened her body a bit, flames started to rise up to the side of them. The contents of the knocked over bottle had reached the torch that Tatsumi had dropped. Now the fire was spreading rapidly on the floor. Climbing up on the shelves. Following the trail that Tatsumi had made.

The two combatants stood still and stared at each other. Each waiting for the other one to attack as the fire grew and spread all around them.

* * *

><p>Esdeath walked into the small room that the soldiers had locked the young boy in. She carried a bag and a bowl filled with water. She closed the door behind her but she didn't lock it. It was not necessary anymore. The room was rather small. It seemed to be some kind of bedroom. The only furniture in it were a bed and a drawer. It was dimly lit by some candles standing on the drawer.<p>

The boy was sitting down against the wall on the opposite side of the door. He started to rise up when she entered the room. He was unsure about the situation. Had he played his cards wrong? As long as he had the information that she wanted he was sure he could find a way to negotiate his way out of this situation.

She gave him a short glance before putting down the bag and the bowl she had with her on the drawer. She took up a small cloth bundle from the bag. It clinked when she put it down on the drawer.

"Lady Esdeath, I have a proposition. I can give you a bit of the information I have. Just so you will know that I am telling you the truth before you aceept the deal." the boy said. A bit worried.

Esdeath didn't give him any response. She took her cap off and put it on the drawer. Calmly smiling to herself. She then unbuttoned the clasp on her longcoat and threw it down on the bed.

"General Esdeath? If you don't talk with me you won't get any answers."

She started to take off one of her long gloves. Putting it down on the drawer, beside the bowl of water.

"Wait? What are you doing?"

Finally she looked over. She smiled and walked up to him. She stopped when she was less than a meter in front of him. He tried to take a step backwards but only hit his back against the wall. She looked down on him.

Something had changed but he couldn't put his finger on it. There was something about her expression that scared him. She was still smiling calmly at him but something was diffrent. It was as if a shadow had fallen over her face. The way her eyes were partly lidded. Her calm smile suddenly seemed ominous. Whatever she was gonna do, she was looking forward to it. The boy suddenly felt terrified.

He threw himself to the side. Making a run for the door. He didn't think about the consequences. Nor the fact that the entire house and the fields outside were filled with her soldiers. He just needed to get out of this room. Now.

He didn't get anywhere though. Esdeath grabbed one of his arms when he tried to move away from her. She slammed it into the wall behind him and froze it in place. She then calmly reached down to his other hand, grabbing it and putting it against the wall. Freezing it in place as well.

"Why are you trying to run away? I thought you wanted to talk to me?" she said and walked over to the drawer.

"What are you going to do?" he said. His voice suddenly filled with fear.

"I will be the one asking most of the questions during our little time together here. But first, I have some things I want to try out on you." She took off her remaining glove and placed it with the other one.

She unfolded the bundle and within it lay some small knifes, tools and a couple of syringes filled with transparent liquid.

The boy drew a sharp breath. "What are you gonna inject in me?"

"Nothing. Unless your body start giving up on me too early. But you are young and seem to have some toughness to you. I doubt they will become necessary, unless I am unusually sloppy today."

He started to understand where this was going. "I won't talk to you unless you fulfill my demands. Even if you torture me."

"Everyone talks if you are good enough. It's just a matter of not going too far too fast. If you give it enough time, the body always defeats the mind. With a little help."

The boy's face grew a little bit paler.

"The challenging thing is to discern the truth." she went on. Nonchalantly. "After a while, people will start telling you whatever they think you want to hear. Then it becomes a matter of reading the person in question. You need to detect the falsehoods and punish them severly. You need to rework the persons cognitive behavior a bit. But that is rather easy to do once they are begging for your mercy."

She took up a small knife and walked up to him.

"But you need to know the person and their body. You need to learn how they react and behave to diffrent kinds of... experiences."

She deftly cut off his clothes with the knife until he was completly naked and his clothes lay by his feet. She looked up and down his body. "But I think I will be able to learn a lot about you during our little talk." she said with a smile.

Even if the boy realized that something horrible was about to happen to him, he still couldn't stop the heat from rising to his face. Colouring his face in deep red colour. It was the first time a girl beside his mother had seen him naked.

"Ohh, don't be embarrassed." Esdeath said with an almost gentle smile. "You look just like most boys in your age do. It's nothing to be ashamed of." she continued as she walked back to the drawer. Striking the small knife into the wood so that it remained standing.

"Now, as I said, you must not be too fast with this. You need to let your victim get enough time to experience it. You need to let their minds falter over time. But we don't have much time today, since I will be leaving before the sunrise. So it will be fun to see if I will be able to get you to a state when I know you are telling me the truth. Without being too fast and put you in a state where you can't speak anymore by accident."

She picked up a long and thin metal tool. It looked like an oversized needle with a handle. She walked up to him.

"But as I mentioned, first I have a couple of things I want to try out on you. Now say "ahhhh"" she said and put one hand on the side of his face. She held the metal needle in front of his mouth.

She waited a couple of seconds but he didn't open his mouth. She quickly moved the hand that was holding the side of his head in between his lips and forced his mouth open with a strength the boy didn't know a human could have in their fingers.

She kept his mouth open with four of her fingers and placed the tip of the sharp tool against the gum on the underside of his teeth.

In the last moment the boy stopped stuggling. He looked up at her with pleading eyes, dropping all resistance. "P- pwease, I don't-"

Esdeath couldn't contain herself anymore at that sight. Her eyes widened a bit and a bestial smile that showed all of her teeth formed upon her face as the giant needle carved into the screaming boy's flesh. Her true nature coming through.

The house was already filled with sobs and cries but from that point onwards they were all overshadowed by the screams coming from the room Esdeath was occupying.

* * *

><p>Tatsumi jumped into yet another dark room. Following Bellany. He had had managed to land a good kick in her side which had sent her flying through another doorway into the room he now was in. But he couldn't see her.<p>

Their fighting had moved them away from the fire but he knew that he was on the clock. In two or three minutes the entire building would be aflame and by then he needed to be far away from here.

But first he needed to kill Bellany.

He was struggling to keep his panic down. If Bellany managed to escape from here then the empire's eyes would be on him for many years to come. He would not be able to act out the rest of the plan without being revealed. And if she somehow would have any proof beyond her own testimony then things might turn really bad. He had to prevent her from leaving this building.

He looked around but couldn't see her anywhere. Was she trying to run from him? Now that he had the armour of Incursio on him her dagger meant very little. He had been able to detect that the blade had been drenched in liquid but whatever poison she had prepared for him meant nothing anymore know that he was armour-clad. She herself seemed to have realized this and was now mainly attacking him with kicks.

He drew from Incursio's power and turned himself invisible but just a second after he had done so he was hit in the side of the head by Bellany's knee. When she was kicked into this room she had immediately jumped up on the door frame after regaining her footing and had been waiting for him to enter. He was sent to flying to the side. Momentarily brought out of his invisbility. It did not damage him much though.

His teigu gave him a huge advantage in this battle. It was clear that Bellany was mainly trained to be fast and nimble. Fighting with speed more than strenght. Getting a lot of small hits in on her oppponent and relying on fatigue and poisons to make her small attacks count. But his Incursio's armour was too strong for her to pierce and it did not have any openings in it that she could detect.

He landed on the side but was up on his feet again in the blink of an eye. He immediately launched himself at her. Aiming to tackle her down on the ground. It was a rather obvious attack but Tatsumi trusted that she would not bee able to muster up enough strenght to knock him of his path.

She had drawn the same conclusion and moved to the side to avoid him. Tatsumi had ,however, counted on her to do so. He shifted his body in the air, delivering a vicious kick to her side. It's strenght amplified by his momentum. She did not expect it and was unable to block it in time. It hit her in the side of her ribbcage. Sending her flying into a bookshelf nearby. Making it fall over with her laying on top of it.

Tatsumi knew that the kick had caused some damage. She would not be able to get up quickly from that. He jumped up in the air and landed with a knee on her stomach. Making her let out a pained wheeze.

He raised his fist to strike at her neck. Aiming to crush her throat. But just as he was about to do so, she threw something in his face. By mere suprise he drew a quick breath and too late he realized that it had been some kind of powder. Which he had now inhaled. He brought his fist down but he was already starting to feel dizzy. He missed her throat by a couple of centimeters.

He immediately rose up and backed of a couple of steps. Swaying a bit as he did so. He took deep breaths. Trying to rinse out whatever it was that he had inhaled. He turned invisible as he continued to stumble backwards. He felt like the world was spinning around him.

Bellany started to slowly stand up. Coughing heavily. Grabbing her side. She was clearly in no state to continue fighting. She rose on unsteady legs.

Tatsumi went down to one knee. Still staying invisible. He was unsure if he shoud try to hold his breath or if he should try to draw in deeper breaths.

Bellany looked around. Unsure of where Tatsumi was. She didn't know if he had inhaled the paralyizing powder or not. Otherwise she should expect another attack but she didn't have much energy left. That last kick had broken several of her ribs. Just taking normal breaths hurt like hell. She quickly decided that she should try to get out of here. She started to walk backwards towards the nearest door. It was only when she got closer to the door that she saw that she and Tatsumi were not alone in the room.

"Who are you?" she called out. Causing Tatsumi to look up from the floor.

When the bookshelf that Bellany flew into tipped over it became possible to look across to the other side of the room. When Tatsumi looked up he saw four persons standing beside the door. They had all stopped in their tracks when Bellany called out to them but it was obvious that they had been trying to sneak out.

Confusion filled Tatsumi's mind. The four men were dressed entirely in black clothes. It was obvious that they were not supposed to be here. If their camouflaged outfits weren't enough to convince Tatsumi then the fact that they were carrying weapons did. They had masked their faces with cloth so that only their eyes were visible.

But they were far too tall and slender for Tatsumi to mistake who they were.

Why were they here? The panick he had been supressing grew stronger. He needed to get out of here. The last thing he needed was more witnesses and he didn't know how much longer he could keep his invisibility up when his entire head was reeling from the powder that he had inhaled. Half the building was probably already aflame and soon the half they were in would follow the same fate.

He started to move out of the room as fast as he could without falling over or bumping into things. He would have to hope that Bellany would get consumed by the fire. If not, it would be his word against her's. He hoped that Esdeath would take his side if it came down to it but he wasn't entirely sure. He thought she would.

It was useless to stay here anyway. He could not hope to continue fighting and still keep his invisibility when he was this delirious. He couldn't risk more people seeing him here.

He walked out of the room without looking back. Heading straight down a long corridor. He tried to listen for what was happening in the room he had left but he couldn't keep his concentation in one place. He thought he heard shouting. His perception of time started to become unsteady. Some guards ran past him at some point. He stopped to rest but almost immediately started moving again. Unsure of how long he had been standing there.

And then suddenly, he was outside. Walking out of one of the now unlocked doors. Left open now when people where rushing out of the building. Escaping the smoke and the fire.

He drew a couple of deep breaths. Finally his mind started to clear a bit. He stood there for half a minute and then started to run away from the building. He climbed up on one of the nearest buildings and started to jump across the rooftops.

He only dared to dissmiss Incursio twenty minutes later when he was far away from the military district. He tried to assess the situation as he kept jumping. Maybe this was not as bad as it seemed. He was pretty sure that Bellany was the only one who had actually seen him there. He could also assume that she did not have any evidence except her own testimony. Otherwise she would not have needed to attack him.

No, it was gonna be his word against her's now. That might not be the worst scenario. If he had actually managed to kill Bellany then Esdeath would probably start looking closer at what he was doing anyway. She herself had stated that if Bellany suddenly "disappeared" then Tatsumi would be her first suspect.

He needed to be on the safe side though. If Bellany actually had some kind of evidence then he needed to make sure that the next part of the operation would go smoothly without him since Esdeath would probably start to restrict his movements if it was revealed that he had been the one to set the archives aflame. He needed to see to it that the message he had prepared was delivered to the great general, with or without him.

When he reached a more rundown part of the slums he finally stopped for a quick moment and turned around to look at the fire.

He could even see it from here. The building itself was mainly made out of stone so it wasn't burning but the fire was gushing out through all the windows and rose so high that the flames reconnected with each other above the building itself. Making it look like a giant candle. It was lightning up the entire military district and shone strongly against the dark sky. It was quite pretty actually, Tatsumi thought.

He stood there and watched it for quite a long while. Now there was no going back. Now the first step was taken. Accomplished with planning and fire. Now he had set flame to the sleeping giant. Now he only needed to watch the fire spread and wait until it started to notice that it was burning.

He only noticed that he was crying when a couple of his tears hit the palm of his hand. He brought his hand up to his face and felt that his chins were wet with silent tears.

He clenched his teeth.

Leyasu and Sayo.

Sheele and Lubbock.

Bro.

Mine...

None of it was in vain! He would not let it be in vain! He would give their deaths meaning!

He would give their sacrifices a purpose!

He swore it internally to himself once again as the tears kept coming. As he had done so many times before.

He cast one last look at the most beautiful fire he had ever seen before he jumped down from the roof. Disappearing into the night.

* * *

><p>A soldier walked in to the small bedroom only to find Esdeath washing her hands in the bowl of water she had brough with her. The water in turning into a dark red color.<p>

"Yes, soldier?" she said. Giving him a smile. She seemed to be in a rather good mood.

"We are ready to move out, general." He said and handed her a towel he had brought with him.

She took it and wiped her hands off. "Good. I will be moving ahead of you. I have some people I need to talk to in the capital as soon as possible."

"So you did manage to get the information you wanted?" He looked over to the young boy but quickly averted his eyes. It was an unpleasant sight. Even to a hardened soldier, such as himself.

"Of course." she said as she started to put on her long gloves. "I am pretty confident that he was telling the truth as well but I will need to verify it."

"Anything that you want us to know about?"

"No. I will play this one close to the chest." she said and put on her white longcoat.

The soldier recoiled a bit as a small wheezing sound was heard from the boy. "He's still alive?"

The boys body looked horrible. A pool of blood had formed under his feet. His legs were not holding him up anymore. He just hang from his arms. His fingers were ruined. As was both of his eyes, his mouth and his genitals. Most of his body was also covered in cuts and lacerations.

"Hmm? Yeah, he probably got a couple more hours in him if he is left untouched." Esdeath said and cast an uninterested gaze at what remained of the boy.

"How did you manage to get any information from him if you destroyed his tongue?" the soldier asked. Slightly disgusted.

"He was unable to form sentences long before I made his mouth useless." She put her cap on and grabbed her bag. "Burn this house as well." she said and started to move out.

"Do you want me to finish the boy off?"

"Do as you wish. I'm done with him." She said and waved her hand in the air as she walked out of the room.

The soldier looked at the boy for a while. Then he gathered his resolve and drew his sword.

Esdeath walked out into the yard. The smell of fire and ash met her as she drew a deep breath from the cool air. The sky was slowly getting brighter. Signaling that a new day was upon them.

All of the other houses had now burned down to the ground and twenty people hanged crucified around the estate. Their cries and moans were the loudest noises that could be heard. The rest of the area had grown rather peaceful now that most of the others were dead. The only fire that still burned bright was the large pyre where the soldiers were burning the bodies of everyone but the last twenty people they were going to take with them to the capital.

She walked up to her steed. Her second-in-command stood by it's side. Waiting for her to come out when she was done with her fun. The rest of her soldiers were preparing for the journey back behind him. Saddling the horses and putting ropes and chains on the twenty people that they were taking with them.

"Leave as soon as you are ready. I will depart immediately." Esdeath said. She jumped up on the dragon.

"As you command." the man answered."Sorry for stepping out of line, general, but was the information that dire?"

Esdeath looked up into the sky. "I don't know if I would say that. But if the information uncovered here turns out to be true then we have some intresting times ahead of us." she said with a smile that was joyous but not comforting.

"I understand, general." the soldier answered. Unwilling to bother her for more information.

She nodded to him and snapped with the reins. Making the huge beast lift it's wings and take off into the air.

* * *

><p>Bellany limped through the long corridors of the lower level of the palace as fast as she could. Heading for the closest barrack belonging to Esdeath's forces. Clasping her hand around the wound in her side that Tatsumi had caused with his last kick. The bleeding had stopped so if she got it treated relatively soon she would be fine in a week or so.<p>

It was a sweet pain though. It reminded her that she finally had something on Tatsumi. He had not merely intended to steal something from the archives. He had been meaning to burn them down. She still didn't know how he had managed to get everything burning so fast. He must have prepared for this for a long time. But if she made her accusations publicly known now the imperial court would have to look into what Tatsumi had been doing the last months. He was as good of a suspect as any, even without her accusations.

The most rewarding part of it all was that Esdeath would have to start questioning him now. She would need to start doubting his loyalty. The imperial court would require her to keep a close eye on Tatsumi. Bellany was sure that Esdeath would start to notice the flaws in Tatsumi and his loyalty if she just started to inspect him more closely.

She would jump for joy if she wasn't hurting so much.

"Are you wounded, soldier?" She recognized the voice.

She looked up and saw a familiar man walking towards her in a brisk pace. Parts of his damaged and destroyed longcoat being dragged behind him on the floor.

"General Makeias! You can't imagine how glad I'am to see you." she said and smiled a tired smile. "I have important news to pass on."

"First things first." Makeias answered in a hard tone. He placed a steadying hand on her shoulder and looked over at her side. "How bad are your injuries?"

"It's nothing too serious, sir. I will have it treated when I get to the barracks." Makeias nodded and looked at her face again. "General, the imperial archives are burning."

"I have been told."

"It's a case of arson, sir. And I know who the perpertrator is!"

"Speak." the general said. His tone suddenly hard.

"It's Tatsumi, sir. Tatsumi of the jaegers."

This earned her a questioning look from Makeias. "Are you sure of this? This is no small accusation. You are aware of his standing with your commander?"

"I am well aware." she answered bitterly. "That is why it is so important that we let her know about this."

"Let me escort you to the barracks in that case." Makeias said and held out a hand to her.

"Thank you, sir." She grabbed his hand. Using it so steady herself as they began to walk down the corridor.

"Was Tatsumi acting alone?" Makeias asked.

"No, sir. He had some accomplices with him tonight."

"Would you be able to identify them?"

She thought for a moment. "Yeah, I think so. They had masked their faces but they had such distinguishable body forms that I think would easily recognize them."

"I see. Have you been able to discern any other strange activities from Tatsumi during his months here in the capital?"

"No but I have always expected something like this. He was visiting the night raid member that Esdeath brought back the other day and I know that he made several attempts to meet the last member of the night raid that we captured. But he was unable to do so before Esdeath dealt with the vigilante."

"Dealt with,huh? Well I can imagine what that means." Makeias said with a canny look on his face. "Anyway, you have worked hard for the empire and it's people, Bellany. You should be proud of yourself."

Before she could give her thanks, he let go of her hand.

"I relieve you of your duties."

Bellany didn't feel anything hit or pierce her body but suddenly an immense pain spread from her chest. The pain from the wound that Tatsumi had given her increased tenfold and started to expand throughout her body.

She fell down on her knees. It was getting harder for her to breath. Horrified she looked at her hands and saw how the veins under her skin were turning black.

"General?" she said in a hoarse voice and looked up at Makeias. He was looking down on her with an empty expression on his face. She understood, that somehow, this was his doing.

"Why?" she asked desperately.

She didn't get any answer. Tears started to run down her face from the pain. Tears that were slowly turning black with the rest of her body fluids. Making her vision blurry. She reached up with a hand towards Makeias. Trembling heavily as her strength started to leave her.

"All I have ever done, I have done for the sake of the empire and it's people." she defended in an unsteady voice. Her hand trembled and was about to fall down when Makeias grabbed it.

He crouched down in front of her so that their eyes were at the same level. Holding both his hands around her trembling one. He looked at her with a sad smile.

"As have I." he whispered as his teigu quenched the last life in Bellany's body.

* * *

><p><strong>Author's note:<strong>

**This is actually the first chapter that didn't have any interactions between Tatsumi and Esdeath at all. Don't worry though. They will be back in full swing in the next one. Though in a slightly diffrent nature. Expect the next chapter to be released at the end of next week. About 7 days from now. As usual.**

**The latest chapter of the manga****(56)**** worries me a bit. Even though it deviated a bit from the anime's storyline it is still following it relatively closely. The fact that some sources say that we are going into the last arc of the manga doesn't help. While other sources say that there is a lot more to come. I just hope that the anime haven't spoiled the manga for us. I have already stated how unsatisfying I personally found the anime ending to be.**

**But hey! Bent but not Broken now has more than a hundred followers. I am so proud. Thanks to all of you for reading and taking interest in my story. It is you and your comments and attention that keeps this going at such a fast pace. Thank you!**

**By the way, if you write a review/comment without an account on this site ****then**** it may take a day or two before it is displayed publicly. I do however recieve a mail with your review/comment immediately after you send it so don't worry. I read every single word you write to me.**

**Have a great day and take care of each other.**


	8. Loyalty and bindings

**A little bit late. **

**Sorry about that.**

* * *

><p><strong>Loyalty and bindings.<strong>

Tatsumi threw a low kick towards Wave's leg but the other boy managed to avoid it by jumping up a little bit into the air. When he was in the air he used his position to deliver a kick against Tatsumi's chest. Tatsumi did however manage to block it in time. He was pushed back a couple of steps from the force of it.

The crowd of youngsters that had formed a ring around them in the training yard cheered Wave on with enthusiasm.

They were all part of Wave's training group. They were the ones that he trained so that they might become jaegers themselves one day. Many people saw it as a bit of a futile effort. Since Esdeath decided which warriors she would include in the jaegers and she had no intrest in this group. But she let Wave try to train them if he so wished. Even if she found it unlikely that she would ever include any of them in the jaegers.

They were shouting and cheering for Wave to win his and Tatsumi's little sparring match. They were both wearing training clothes and both carried training swords. Wave's training sword was a bit larger than Tatsumi's but Tatsuim also had a training knife attached to his belt. Both of them mainly used kicks and punches though. They were both more proficient with that.

Tatsumi lowered the arm he had used to block Wave's kick. "It seems like you are the crowd favorite." he said with a smirk.

"Everyone likes an underdog." Wave returned with a smile and jumped at him. Tatsumi simply took a couple of steps back. Not willing to engage Wave again yet.

It was early midday and he had just gotten back from his mission at the imperial archives six hours earlier. He hadn't slept for almost thirty hours and he felt it in his body. He was starting to doubt that he would be able to beat Wave in this match. But he felt no pressure to do so. The atmosphere was friendly and competitive.

Wave's students were cheering for their teacher to kick his ass but he knew that they were his friends as well.

After a good ten minutes they had both worked up quite a sweat and Wave was in the lead with seven clear hits against Tatsumi's four. He sheated his training sword. "Should we take a break?"

"Yeah, sure." Wave said. Breathing heavily as he sheated his own.

The group of people around them started to applaud. Clearly impressed by Tatsumi's and Wave's display.

"Okay, go back to your exercises."Wave shouted at them. "Just observing ain't gonna make you any better."

Tatsumi grinned at Wave. He had clearly grown very fond of his little training group. Even if his tone was harsh he always seemed to care for them.

He was considering to head back to his chambers to get some sleep. He was ,however, afraid that Esdeath would find him sleeping in the middle of the day when she returned. That would be suspicious. He needed to seem completly well-rested in case Bellany would come with her accusations to Esdeath before she met him.

He was weighing his options when an all too familiar feeling drenched his entire being. Making him realize that he was out of time either way.

The atmosphere in the training yard did a complete turn in just a second. The merriment and friendly mood was suddeny replaced with tenseness and fear. Everyone in the room felt pressured by the new presence. Standing in front of the only entrance to the training yard in her white longcoat.

"Tatsumi." Her hard and authorative tone echoed through the now completly silent yard.

Tatsumi turned to the doorway. Meeting Esdeath's hard gaze. She did not look happy. Her scowl was directed directly at him. She looked much more controlled than the malicious energy she was emenating, though. He could almost feel the anger she radiated. He had a feeling that she wanted him to feel it as well.

"Hi!" he said and tried to give her his warmest smile. "You look a little peeved. Is everything okay?"

She didn't give him an answer. She simply continued to glare at him. Her hair swaying slightly in the wind.

The youngsters from Wave's group that were standing all around him were very anxious now. Even those few that knew nothing about Esdeath could still feel the hostility she emanated. Some of them were reaching for their training swords or crouching down into fighting positions by instinct.

Wave noticed it. Wave was confident that Esdeath would never hurt one of his students unless provoked in some way but his students didn't know that. Drawing weapons or taking fighting stances against her might be all the provokation needed if she was in such a bad mood. He decided to intervene.

"Alright, that is enough for today." he shouted at the youngsters. "Leave the yard and go and get changed. Now."

For a moment it looked like nobody was going to move. Esdeath was standing in front of the door. They would have to walk past her if they wanted to get out. But then they slowly started to leave in small groups. Keeping as much distance they could from the general. Some of them sweating slightly as they passed her. Esdeath didn't even give them a single glance. Her full focus was on Tatsumi.

Tatsumi himself was meeting her gaze steadly. It was a bit unfortunate that she had caught him here. He would feel better about the situation if he had Incursio but both his and Wave's teigus were in the locker room. He would not be able to reach it without passing her since she stood in front of the only way out.

The question was if Bellany had brought her any evidence that proved what he had done but he couldn't be specific in his questions without revealing himself. If he had Incursio he would actually have had to consider running away from her for a little while. Just to fix some more things before she took away his freedom entirely.

Now it was not an option, though. Without Incursio he had no chance in the world to escape her in this situation. He would have to place all his hopes on that Bellany didn't have a strong case against him.

"I feel like our interactions these last days have mostly consisted of you being irritated with me for one reason or another."he said with a smile and a shrug. "Maybe we should get some help with that." he tried to joke.

The entire yard grew much colder as Esdeath let some of her powers out. Demonstrating that she was in no mood for jokes without saying a word.

This could get messy, Tatsumi thought. It seemed like it would be safer to assume the worst right now.

"You go too, Wave" he said silently.

Wave looked at Tatsumi. This was exactly the kind of problem he thought that the prime minister wanted him to help them with. He had no idea of why Esdeath seemed so angry. And it seemed like Tatsumi thought that his attendance was a bother. But he still figured that he was obligated to try.

"Tatsumi I think you coul-"

"Wave, listen to me!" Tatsumi's tone was so serious that the other man stopped and stared at him in suprise.

"If we don't see each other again, then I want you to take care of the letter we talked about. Do you understand?" he said as he kept his eyes on Esdeath. He knew that she was not going to kill him but if all he had done had been exposed to her then she was probably going to take his freedom away from him for the foreseeable future.

Esdeath's nostrils flared when she heard him say that and she started to walk towards Tatsumi in a brisk pace. Her expression growing even angrier.

Wave was shocked to hear Tatsumi say that. He stood gaping for a moment before he desperately reacted. He turned to Esdeath. "Commander, please wait. I don't know what has happe-"

"WAVE!" Tasumi roared. Forcing the now panicking Wave to look at him.

"Do you understand what I asked of you?" Tatsumi almost shouted. Looking his friend in the eyes. He needed to get his point across. That letter had to reach it's destination.

Wave didn't have time to answer him before Esdeath's hand grabbed Tatsumi's throat and hoisted him off the ground. Lifting him above her head. He grabbed her arm with both of his own. Not really trying to dislodge himself. Just lifting his body up so that it became more comfortable to breath.

"Commander!" Wave shouted, reaching for his training sword. He knew that any attempt to fight her was futile but he would not just stand on the side and watch her kill Tatsumi. Even if she was his respected commander.

"I hope you realize that you just insulted me." Esdeath asked in a hard voice. "How many of my subordinates are dead because of your involvment with night raid? I forgave you for that, didn't I. And yet you honestly think that I would kill you now?"

"So did you just come here to spar then?" Tasumi said with a very strained smile. Maybe he could make her mood little bit lighter if he played around with her a bit. He reached down and grabbed his training sword and started to unsheate it.

The grip around his throat tightened as soon as he did. When he looked at her she slowly shook her head at him."Do you want me to administer your punishment right now, here in the training yard?" she asked. Keeping a hard and cold voice as she did. Making Tatsumi stop his movement. "Since you were provoked for a long time, I will give you the option to take it in the privacy of our chambers,if you wish."

Tatsumi realized that he, for the moment, was talking to the general and not his lover. He should have seen it coming since her loyalty to her subjects would force her to be hard on him. She often hurt and played around with him on her own free will for enjoyment but the few times when she had been obligated to do so because of her duties, she usually didn't let her feelings play into it too much. However, unlike his lover, who just did what she felt like, Esdeath the general could be reasoned with.

"I don't even know what I am accused of." he wheezed through her hard grip.

She raised an eyebrow at him. She brought his face closer to her own so that they only were a little bit apart. She looked him straight in the eyes, still keeping her cold expression.

"Where is she, Tatsumi? I want to give her body to her family." she whispered to him in a threatening way.

Tatsumi was still unsure of what was going on but now he could manage a guess. "I have no idea of what you are talking about."

"Then why did you just tell Wave that you were about to never see each other again?" she asked, a little bit louder.

"I'am not sure that you believe in innocent until proven guilty and you seemed kinda pissed off. So I guessed someone had lied to you about me."

"I have a good intuition about these kind of things, Tatsumi. And I have been angry at you before without you starting to bid farewell to your friends."

"And you don't even think I deserve the benefit of the doubt?"

She lightened her grip a little bit. "You are my main suspect, Tatsumi. And I warned you that I would punish you if you killed her."

"Killed who?" Wave asked. He had been very unsure of what was going on ever since they started talking but he had chosen to take a backseat as soon as it was clear that she wasn't going to kill Tatsumi.

"Bellany has not reported in today." Esdeath answered without leaving Tatsumi with her eyes.

"So what? She might have overslept!" Tatsumi said as he struggled to get more comfortable.

"This is the first time during her entire military career that she hasn't checked in on time. Her attendants have checked her quarters and she hasn't been there since yesterday and an anonymous source say that the last time she was seen was during the night. When she apparently was chasing you through the slums." Esdeath said. Still looking at Tatsumi.

"With all due respect, general.", Wave said loudly. Trying to make the situation easier. "As long as those sources are anonymous, they can't be fully trusted. You know that there are many people in the capital that would love to frame Tatsumi for something like this."

Esdeath turned her gaze to Wave. Making the young man uncomfortable now that he momentarily was recieving the same pressure Tatsumi had been feeling since she entered the yard. Tatsumi was quick to jump on Wave's train of thought

"Whoever sent you that information knows more about what has happened to Bellany than I do. You should be looking into who they are instead of coming here."

"I'am already having people look into it. I still think you are hiding something from me though, Tatsumi." she said, returning her gaze to him. "You haven't answered why you told Wave that you wouldn't see each other again."

It seems that his panic had digged his own grave for him, Tatsumi reflected.

"I have many secrets that I want to keep for myself. You can't demand to know them all." He looked her in the eyes. Trying to look as fierce as he could when his feet were dangling in the air. "You are my partner. Not my mind. I did not kill Bellany and I have no idea of where she is."

He was careful to formulate himself so that he was telling the truth. Just in case that she knew more than she was saying or if she indeed had a good enough intuition to tell the diffrence. Wave was quick to jump in and try to help Tatsumi's case.

"He is right, commander! Everyone carries secrets with them. You can't demand to know every single thing in his head. That is simply unreasonable."

Esdeath cast Wave a short glance and then looked at Tatsumi. "Maybe." she said. Still keeping her hard and cold expression. "Then I will have to solve this through other means."

She threw him a decimeter up in the air and then caught him with both her hands. Moving his body sideways as she did. Now carrying him bridal style. With one arm behind his shoulders and another one under his thighs. She looked down on him. Still looking quite irritated.

"I will not allow you to run around until I have decided if these anonymous sources are reliable or not." she said as she tightened her grip around him.

"Ohh, come on." Tatsumi complained. Even if he just sounded like he was whining he was feeling the fear rising. This might actually be bad. He needed to be able to move around freely in the capital. It might be better if he just lie to her and say that he killed Bellany and then take the punishment for it. Then she might let him have his freedom back after that.

Esdeath turned around and started to walk out of the yard, carrying Tatsumi in her arms. Wave looked at her back. Uncertain of what to do.

"Esdeath" Tatsumi said meekly. Deciding that it would be better to be submissive right now. He pulled lightly on the black collar of her uniform. She looked down at him without turning her head."Incursio."

She stopped in the doorway that lead out of the training yard. She looked at him for a second and then turned around. "Wave, you will be looking over Incusio until I have resolved this situation. I don't have to tell you what happens if you lose it."

"Of course, commander!" Wave said and saluted by instinct. She turned and started to walk again.

"Wave," Tatsumi shouted," please take care of my other things as well, ok?" He didn't dare to mention the letter again or Esdeath might catch on to it. He had to hope that Wave understood.

"Sure." Wave answered as Esdeath left the yard with Tatsumi in her arms. He felt like he had failed to be of much help to Tatsumi. He would have to try and help them resolve this later on.

Esdeath walked through the castle with Tatsumi in her arms. Receiving many stares and odd looks. People behind them pointing and whispering. Some might actually have tried to cheer them on or whistle at them if Esdeath hadn't been emanating such a fearsome aura right now.

Tatsumi himself would had been more embarrassed about being carried around in this position if he hadn't been so busy working through the situation in his head. Incursio was now out of his reach so as long as she was around he would not be able to escape. The question was for how long she was going to restrain him.

"Hey, where are we going?" he asked quietly. Sinking in under the cover of her longcoat that swayed back and forth with her steps. Trying to express submission.

"I'am going to chain you down in our bedroom for the time being." She said without looking at him.

"For how long?"

"Until I am more certain of the situation." she said as she started to climb a huge staircase.

"I thought you saw me as a person and not just another toy that you could lock up in your bedroom when bored." he said. Making, what he knew was, a likely futile attempt to make her change her mind.

"Would you prefer the dungeons then?" she said in her hard voice. Looking down on him.

"No." he sighed. "I can actually walk on my own, you know? Without Incursio I have no chance of running away from you either way."

Her grip on him tightened so much that it hurt. "Ouch, ouch. Okay, okay. I get it." He said and looked up at her. Being faced by her ice-cold gaze.

"You are my mate and for that you will get benefits when they are mine to give." she said and lightened her hands pressure a little. Still holding him in a iron grip. "I am ,however, still a general of the empire and I will uphold my duties to my subordinates. You will get the luxury of being detained in my quarters instead of the dungeons. But I will not suffer you trying any tricks or give the impression that I am letting you do entirely what you want."

"You must really have liked this specific counselor, since her presumed death have made you so much more angrier than you usually get when losing a subordinate." Tatsumi said with a smirk.

"I do not tolerate insubordination in my own ranks and I don't like it when my own personal wishes kills people that I have promised protection. Right now it would seem like I have let just that happen by letting my love for you determine too much of my actions."

"I didn't kill her, Esdeath. I promise you."

Esdeath didn't answer him. She lift gaze up to the deserted corridor they were now walking through. Thinking about the situation.

"Come on. You are getting ahead of yourself. At least save your anger for when you actually know the truth."

He reached up and started to stroke his forehead against her jawbone. Trying to be a little bit more physical in his pleading.

She returned his movements almost immediately. Stroking her head down lightly against his in a snuggling motion. She closed her eyes as she did but still kept her stern expression.

For Esdeath, these were two completly diffrent things. He was her partner and she had promised him that if he ever needed love or intimacy then she would provide it. She enjoyed doing so, even now. That didn't mean that she wouldn't punish him harshly as a general. She would not be as hard on him as she would be on her other subordinates if they had done the same thing. But that was as far as she was willing to compromise her responsibilities. She would even handle his punishment personally, unwilling to let anyone else hurt him. And then she would later lick his wounds for him.

So if he wanted some affection or intimacy from her then of course he would get it. Even if she might be preparing to hurt him at the same time.

This all seemed completly natural to her. Even if it still baffled Tatsumi how she could differentiate these things so easily.

They had now arrived at Esdeath's quarters. She opened one of the doors with her elbow and shoulder. Closing it behind her with her foot. As she walked over to their bedroom, Tatsumi decided that getting a bit more aggressive might distract her from locking him up.

He started to lick her in long strokes up her throat. Stopping at her jawbone before going down and beginning from her collarbone again. A not very gentle grin formed on Esdeath's face. She tilted her head slightly upwards as she kept walking. Making it easier for him to keep giving her his submissive affection. She liked how he tried to please her in a physical way just to get her favor. It was like he established his submission to her with every stroke of his tongue.

When Tatsumi noticed that she was enjoying what he was doing he moved his hand down. He dislodged his small training knife that was attached to his side as sneakly as he could. Hiding it in the lining on the backside of his underwear.

She walked up to the bed with him and then unceremoniously dropped him down on it before walking over to a drawer in the room. She took of her longcoat and put it on top of it and then rummaged through the drawer for a bit. When she walked back she was carrying two sets of handcuffs, a belt and a chain.

"Take off your training clothes and weapons." she said as she opened up the handcuffs."Otherwise this will become uncomfortable over time."

"So you mean to say that this will be comfortable?" he said as he started to take off his clothes.

"Not particulary, no. But I have a rather important meeting I need to attend to now. A meeting with the prime minister which I can't really bring you along to. So you will have to wait here. I will be back with dinner for you after it is done." She attached the belt to the chain and then locked the chain to a hook positioned on the wall above their bed.

"So you mean that I will be laying here all day." he said in a complaining tone as he took of the last off his training cloths. Now sitting on his knees in the bed, only in his briefs.

She didn't answer him. Her eyes were locked on the colorful bruises on his side and back. The blue and black marks from the two kicks Bellany had given him during the night. Tatsumi didn't bother with trying to cover them up now that she had seen them.

She climbed up on the bed and sat down in front of him. One knee on each side of his legs. She laid down the chain and cuffs on his side and then lightly trailed her fingers over the mark on the side of his chest. Her eyes closely studying it. Tatsumi stayed still and let her examine him. It served no purpose to stop her now.

"..a knee, most likely.." she silently said to herself. She put a strong hand on his shoulder and forced him to turn slightly to the side so that she could look at the other big one on his back. "..this one as well.." she said and put her fingers on it. "And they are both still really warm. This damage is fresh."

She turned his body back and looked him in the eyes with the same stern expression. "Tatsumi?" she said with a demanding tone.

"I received some hits during training."

"Even if it was just the damage on your side I would still be sceptical. You know that I am in favour of harsh excercise but.." ,she gently put her hand over the blue mark on his side "this would have broken all of your ribs if you hadn't been hardened by training. Besides, it looks like someone has kicked you straight in the back with the intention of seriously damaging you."

He doggedly kept silent. Staring her in the eyes.

"Come on, Tatsumi." she said. Her voice growing gentle. The hand on his shoulder trailed up to his neck and started to slowly stroke the side of it. "It's obvious that the one on your back is from a suprise attack. It seems like you didn't even have Incusio activated." ,she looked him in the eyes with a concerned expression. Moving a little bit closer. "If she ambushed you then that changes everything. I will not even have to punish you if you killed her in something akin to self-defense."

Tatsumi considered lying to her and say that he had killed Bellany in self-defense. Though, if he did that then he would have to make up a story about how it had happened and he had no way to fabricate any evidence for it right now. He didn't even know if Bellany really was dead or not. The risks were too many.

"It's just from training." he said and looked down on his hands.

Esdeath was reminded of how he had refused her for two days down in the dungeons before she finally managed to get him to surrender to her. She remembered how he had completly shut her out from everything. She remembered how powerless it made her feel.

She hated this.

She clenched her teeth. Tatsumi could feel how her irritation returned. She reached down and took up the belt and the handcuffs. She bent forward and reached around his sides with her arms. She started lock his legs togeter by the ankles, behind his back. Her fingers making sure that the metal bindings were not sitting too tight.

Tatsumi had already realized how she intended to bind him down. She was gonna lock his arms and feet together behind his back and then connect the four of them together with a belt which was attached to the wall with the chain. It was not gonna be easy to move around. He knew from experience.

She straightened up a little bit and took hold of his arms, moving them behind his back. When she did this, her face was right in front of his. He made a final try to appease her through a more physical interaction, since it seemed to have worked when she was carrying him. He leaned in and kissed her. Pushing his tongue against her lips. She halted in her binding of him and immediately responded. Opening her mouth and moving her tongue out to welcome him.

They stayed like that for some moments before she started to move her arms again. Continuing to lock his arms up behind his back while her tongue was still moving around in his mouth. When his hands were cuffed together she let go of his arms and placed her hands on his back. After a moment she moved her head away a little bit from him. Disconnecting their mouths.

She smiled at him. But it was more of a domineering smile than a compassionat one. Then she quickly moved her hand down into his underwear and grabbed the training knife he had hidden in it's lining.

She put it in front of his face while still keeping the same smile.

He looked at it and then at her for a second. "Sorry." he said and lowered his gaze.

She threw the knife over her shoulder so that it landed on the drawer she had put her longcoat on. She then moved her hands back down and grabbed his butt through his briefs.

"And you dare to question why I didn't let you walk here on your own.". It was a sweet voice but Tatsumi could feel that there was a malicious joy behind it. She liked to break his hopes of opposing her. She wanted him to understand that she possesed all of him. Including his hopes and wishes.

She leaned in and gave his lips a small lick. Her arms grabbed the belt behind his back, starting to close the final clasp on his bindings.

"Please don't bind me up here, Esdeath. I will be bored out of my mind! Can't you just lock the doors or something? Then I can at least can walk around in these rooms." He asked her. Trying to look as remorseful as he could. _If he could walk around then he could pick the door locks._

Esdeath halted herself.

"Okay then, I will give you a chance." She straightened up a bit more so that she was looking down on him. Her hands still holding the last clasp behind his back. "Tatsumi, why did you tell Wave that you were never gonna see each other again?"

_I seem to have been beaten by my own panick_, he thought. _For now at least._ "Sorry Esdeath. That is a secret that I will continue to keep from you."

She smiled at him and closed the final clasp. Making him unable to move his arms or legs. She leaned in and gave him a peck on the head before giving him a light push with her left hand. Making him tip over to his side into the bed. Unable to keep his balance with all the bindings.

"I will be back by dinner time." she said and reached over to one of the covers and pulled it over his body. "I will bring some food back with me and then I will give you a lot of attention throughout the night, Tatsumi. Hopefully you will be a bit more talkative then."

She looked him over one last time to make sure that he was tucked into the bed properly. She nodded to herself and put a hand on her cap. "Don't hurt yourself further by trying to break free. You should know that you can't escape this."

He nodded sullenly to her. She looked at him for a moment and then walked out of the room. Heading for her meeting with the prime minister.

* * *

><p>Wave walked through the inner streets of the capital. Heading for the military district beloning to the imperial guard. He had already been at the main office of the great general but Budo had not been there so he had been asking around with the military personell that the man usually worked with and had found out that he had been walking towards this district to look over the rearrangement of their documentation.<p>

Wave had met the great general a couple of times before. His many internal missions with the jaegers had seen him working rather closely with the imperial guard that Budo took such pride in. Not that the legions didn't deserve the praise they got. Due to their amazing resolve and morale, the imperial guard was deemed to be the force with the highest defensive capabilities in the entire empire.

Wave had actually found the great general to be a rather fair man. A bit harsh and grim but if you reached the rank of great general then you had probably seen enough fighting and death to turn a little bitter, Wave reasoned. Even if Budo was very open about how he found Tatsumi to be unworthy and how he strongly disliked the way Esdeath conducted her operations, he had still been very fair to Wave. Praising him for his work within the military and thanking him when he helped the imperial guard.

Wave reached the huge gates leding into the military district he was heading for. After quickly proving his identity to the gatekeepers he asked them if they knew where the great general currently was. They gave him some directions and he walked off.

Among all the jaegers he was probably the one who was most popular with the imperial guards. Receiving some recognizing shouts and greetings as he walked through the busy streets. There was a lot of activity going on in all parts of the military today.

The loss of the imperial archieves had sent the military into a bit of a frenzy. The loss of most records and documents that concerned the military had been quite a blow to the regular procedures. Most military institutions were at the moment calling in all soldiers and military personnel for registration and identification. Since most records of who was a part of the military and who wasn't was now lost. Anyone with a uniform could claim that they worked for the military right now and it would be hard to disprove them.

There were long lines and queues of people standing outside of diffrent buildings in the district he was walking through. All called in for that exact purpose.

He could hear the great generals booming voice from far away. Budo was standing outside of one of the bigger buildings in the district. Shouting commands at soldiers that were carrying boxes filled with papers. It seemed like the imperial guards were going to establish their own version of the imperial archives until everything was back in order again.

Wave walked up and saluted the giant man.

"Great general! May I have a moment?"

"Are you here on official buisness,Wave of the jaegers? Otherwise I can't afford to give you much of my time. There are lot of things that require my attention right now."

"Can't say I am, great general. I would ,however, implore you to still give me a moment,sir. I believe that this might be important."

Normally, Wave would not bother the great general if he was busy but Tatsumi had said that this was important. Tatsumi had told him that he had to deliver this to the great general since Budo didn't trust him.

"Well then, be quick about it, soldier." the general said and turned to him.

Wave reached over with the letter to the great general. The big man took it and looked at Wave.

"It is sealed. You are supposed to open it in private later." the young man said. Meeting Budo's gaze.

"What is it?"

"I don't know, to be completly honest. But I have been told that it is important."

"By who?" the great general asked. In his position you received quite a lot of useless letters. And poisoning was always a possibility.

"I would rather not say."

"So I am to take your word for it?"

"I haven't failed you before. Have I?" Wave said with a smile. Hoping that whatever message was inside the letter was as important as Tatsumi had claimed.

The big man looked at him for a moment.

"No, you have not." he said at last. He put the letter into a pocket and turned around and started to shout orders again.

* * *

><p>"It is rare for you to be late to our meetings." the prime minister said while he took a big bite from the lobster tail on his fork.<p>

He was surrounded by plates with food and folders of paper on the end of the long table that they were sharing. Esdeath sat on the other said with a single cup of tea in front of her. Her cap resting on the table. They were the only people in the giant room.

"One of my subordinates required a bit more attention than I was expecting." she said as she sipped on the tea with closed eyes. "No one can predict everything."

"Fully agreed." the big man said."But we can always try." He opened up one of the folders that lay beside the many plates.

"Have you looked up the evidence?" Esdeath asked. Putting down her tea cup.

"It's seems that about half of the information you brought have been correct. And the other half is still plausible." the prime minister said as a troubled expression formed on his face. "I have only been able to verify a few of them but the papers and wares have been at all the offices and storages that I have had raided."

"So the warden wasn't working alone,then?" Esdeath said with a calm smile. Not at all bothered by this outcome.

"No he wasn't. We have raided many of the trading caravans and agents that he governed over. And we have found a lot of hidden messages and hidden wares. I have asked a few of the involved if they knew anything about it but they denied it."

"Obviously." Esdeath commented. Crossing her fingers under her chin as she rested her head upon them.

"Which means that it is likely that your information is correct. The warden of the west was only a part of a larger network of people within the empire that planned to overthrow the current emperor." he said and took another bite of his lobster tail.

"And by that, you mean that they wanted to overthrow you." Esdeath said with a smile tinged with cruelness.

"You are associated pretty strongly with the current _state_ of the imperial court. If they were trying to overthrow me then they are also trying to remove you from office."

"I wouldn't have put myself in this position if I didn't want people to come and challenge me. And I certainly wouldn't have made myself your ally so long ago if I didn't enjoy crushing these upstarters." she said calmly.

"I 'am certainly blessed that you have these intrests then, Esdeath." he said. Throwing her a smile."I would usually not care too much about this but the fact that all of this has gone unnoticed from all my spies and informants is quite disturbing. I was pretty sure that I would know if something this big was going on." he said as he opened another folder. Rummaging through the pages.

"I don't think we have to worry about any coup d'état, now that the warden is dead but..." The prime minister went on and looked over at her.

"We can't really allow such unloyal servants to the emperor walk around unpunished." Esdeath said, her eyes narrowing a bit. Still wearing the smile.

"Exactly. Especially since they managed to arrange all of this without us noticing it." he said and drank some beer from a pitcher. "However, we need to be a bit.. discreet about it."

"Hmm?" Esdeath looked at him.

"Ever since the revolutionary army started to crumble, the great general have been gathering as much information he possibly can about the two of us. He is rather competent but the man knows nothing about subtlety." he said with a smile.

"Do you think that he is intending to present these things to the emperor in hopes of making young Makoto send us away from his service?" she said, picking up her tea cup again.

"Might be. He is probably going to turn against us sooner or later. He might be planning to present it to the rest of the military leaders as well. Hoping to turn them against us. But then the military would have to chose between him or you."

"Are you insinuating that I would revolt against my commanding officer?" she asked as she sipped some more of the tea.

"Oh come now, Esdeath. Doesn't the title great general Esdeath have a certain ring to it."

She looked at him for some moments. "Your hunger really is obscene, old man." she said with a sinister smile.

He returned the smile."You don't mind though. Do you?"

Esdeath looked up at the ceiling for some seconds. She had never really cared that much about titles as long as she could do what she wanted. If she became great general then she would have to put a lot more time into administrative work. But on the other hand, she would be able to choose whatever opponents she wished among the empire's enemies. She would also be an even higher target for those who stood against the empire, which could be pretty entertaining. And she would get a chance to fight Budo himself.

She shrugged. "I guess I don't."

The prime ministers smile grew wider."I knew you would say that. Then I trust that you will know what to do if the great general suddenly summons all the military leaders stationed in the capital."

"You aren't worried about those stationed outside of the capital?"

"If he tries to get in contact with any of the generals outside of the capital, then I will know it. If he should chose to try and turn the military against us then we can make sure that those outside of the capital only hears about the relevant parts of his betrayal after he has been dealt with."

"Which leaves one general missing from our plan. Do we have any idea of Makeias's allegiance?"

"No, not at all." The prime minister looked a little bit annoyed. "After spending all those years on the battlefield everyone expected that he was only returning to the capital so that he could retire. Yet he has chosen to stay in his position. Would he be a problem for you?" he asked and started eating on his next dish.

"I would not think so. I'm actually about to go and fight him in a sparring match later today. Then I will be able to gauge his strength. Though not his teigu since we are omitting those from the fighting. Do you know about it's capabilities?"

"I will look into it." The older man said and stroked his beard. "I do know that he actually got his teigu by accident. Since the imperial court were unwilling to send his army any."

Esdeath gave him a questioning look.

"His teigu apparently takes the form of a small knife. Some kind of assassin used the teigu as a weapon and stabbed Makeias with it. Without knowing anything about what the blade actually was. The teigu then resonated with him and he survived because of it's powers. It is supposedly still stuck into his mid-section. I will research it capabilities a bit more."

"So in other words, it is one of the lost teigus."

"It would seem so. Anyway, this is nothing we should have to worry about in the immediate future. I don't think Budo will act if we just are a bit discreet and subtle in rooting out these weeds in our dear empire. He has no reason to research anything more about these traitors, anyway. So as long as we don't make a big deal about it, then things will continue to run smoothly."

"Well then." Esdeath said and rose up from her chair."Let me know if there is anyone of the traitors that you would need my help with. I will keep an eye on the military and Budo."

"Certainly. By the way, I think it is about time that you paid a visit to the night raid member down in the dungeons. I would like to know what information she might have about the warden's network and allies."

Esdeath smiled at him. "Thanks for reminding me. I think I will go down and talk with her the next time I got some time to spare." She turned around to leave.

"One more thing, Esdeath."

She looked at him over her shoulder.

"Could you do me a favor and keep an close eye on your boy." he said and gave her a reproachful look. "He seem to be a bit more.. _capable_ than I first expected."

Esdeath felt her defensive instincts rise but quickly quelled them. She gave him a hard glance. "How I manage my subordinates is nothing that you need to worry about. And I don't want to hear complaints from you about how I handle my mate, considering how well you managed to handle your son."

"Do you want Tatsumi to meet the same fate as my son?"

She looked at him in a rather unfriendly way. She was considering if he was challenging her in some way but reminded herself about their strictly buisness oriented relationship. If he brought this up then he probably had his reasons. "Fine. I hear what you say. Leave Tatsumi to me and focus upon your own problems."

The prime minister sighed deeply when the doors had closed behind her. _Just as I suspected_, he thought,_ this is gonna be really tricky._

"Well, Tatsumi is starting to become my problem, as well." he said as he returned to his food.

* * *

><p>"Thanks a lot for helping me out." Tatsumi said as he rose from the bed. Stroking his hands where the bindings had been.<p>

"Don't mention it." The young maid was still carrying the knife that she had used to cut him free from the belt. "I just hope that Esdeath doesn't find out that it was I that did this."

"Don't worry about it. I will see to it that you are transferred to a diffrent part of the palace immediately." Normally the maids and attendants wouldn't dare to intervene with any of Esdeath's affairs or projects. This girl was a bit diffrent though. She had helped Tatsumi many times by stepping out of line and doing things she shouldn't be doing. Small favors in exchange for diffrent rewards from Tatsumi. Mostly money. "Your reward will be waiting for you at whatever your new workplace will be."

"Thank you."

"Now go work in some other rooms. It won't do well to be around when Esdeath returns."

She nodded and quickly scurried off. Hurrying out of Esdeath's chambers.

Tatumi watched her go. It was a little sad that he would lose one of his most useful attendants. She had been of much help in the past. But he dared not have her around anymore. Esdeath would want to know who had freed him and her hunting and tracking skills were almost as superhuman as her fighting prowess. If the maid stayed around, then chances were that Esdeath would figure out that it had been her sooner or later.

He walked over to one of their many drawers and started to put some clothes on. He needed to be quick now. He had a clear plan in his head.

He needed to find this anonymous source that had seen Bellany following him and silence it for good. And he needed to do so before Esdeath's agents found it. So he needed to figure out who it was. That would probably require some investigation but if he called upon all his informants and allies he could probably figure it out relatively fast.

After that, he needed to go to Esdeath. If he broke free and then came to her of his own free will, then that might actually lessen her annoyance at him breaking free. If he presented it right he might even play it off as proof of his loyalty.

First of all he needed to get Incursio back, though. So he needed to find Wave. And then convince him to not only hand over his teigu but he also wanted him to act as his fake alibi. He needed someone to assure Esdeath that he hadn't been up to anything suspicious after he broke free.

He didn't like the idea of involving Wave more into his plans but he didn't have much of a choice right now.

After he had dressed up in his civilian clothes, he walked out of their quarters and closed the doors behind him. Esdeath had not locked a single one of the doors. Fully confident in her bindings. As she shoud have been, he thought, I would not have been able to get out on my own. She just didn't expect help to come from outside.

A positive thing about the situation was that he didn't have to hide from anybody else since Esdeath was the only one who knew that he was supposed to be locked up inside her chambers. So he didn't need to hide from anybody else. At least not if he moved fast enough.

He knew that he didn't have to much time to finish his task now.

Esdeath would come hunting after him the moment she found him missing. And she would not be holding back this time.

* * *

><p><strong>Author's note:<strong>

**So... three days later than promised. Sorry about that. I have no idea of why this one took so much more time to get done. I already have the coming chapters planned out in my head but for some reason ****this one was a bit harder to write.**** I have been spending the same amount of time working on this story as I have before. **

**I do not plan on letting it affect my release schedule though. The next one should be released in five days.**

**As always, thanks for reading/following/favorite;ing and just being awesome in general. **

**I have to run now. Got places to be.**

**Have a great day and take care of each other.**


	9. The jester and the apex predator

**Remember to regularly save your work, kids.**

**Then you won't have to rewrite an entire chapter just because your internet connection fucks with you.**

* * *

><p><strong>The jester and the apex predator.<strong>

Tatsumi moved through the streets of one of the huge inner yards of the castle as fast as he could without drawing attention to himself. He had the hood of his brown coat over his head but he didn't want to run or jump around now. He needed to blend into the masses so he didn't dare to move any faster than a brisk walk.

He was heading over to the jaeger's quarters. The only person he really needed to avoid was Esdeath but he was a bit unsure of where she was at the moment. He knew that she had headed towards a meeting with the prime minister after locking him up but he had no idea of how long that meeting was gonna be. She had said that she would return to their chambers by dinner time but that didn't necessarily mean that she was gonna spend the entire day at the meeting. She might have had other plans for the day as well.

Not that it was that hard to notice her, when she was just walking around on official buisness. If you just payed mind to the way people were acting around you, then you could avoid her entirely if lucky. Since most people either were walking to look at her or trying to move away to avoid her. When she walked around in civilian areas it usually caused a small commotion like that, which one might get away in.

There was a risk that she would detect his presence even if she couldn't see him but as long as she thought that he was still locked up in her bed, she woudn't be looking for him. That would probably make it easier for Tatsumi. Even if he lacked Incursio for the moment.

That was also why he dared to venture directly towards the jaeger's quarters. Even if the probability that he would meet her increased more, the closer he got.

It was almost midday now. In best case scenario he had until dinner time before Esdeath would notice his escape. He wanted to be go to her himself before she started to catch up to him. He wanted it to seem like he had intended to go to her from the start. Not that it was his choice only after he started to notice that she might catch him. It needed to seem a proof of his loyalty to her. Not an act of submission after he had realized his defeat.

He needed Incursio and he needed to meet Wave as well. To convince him to be his alibi.

He reached the part of the palace he was heading for, forty minutes later. A military wing mainly dedicated to Esdeath's forces. He was a regular here so he didn't even need to identify himself to the guards. He simply removed his hood for a moment and they immediately recognized him. Letting him pass through without a single question. He smiled despite himself. Sometimes, it felt good that the imperial army that he had fought so hard now were forced to respect him.

He moved towards the jaeger's quarters. There was a lot commotion and movements in this part of the palace. The diffrent parts of the imperal army trying to cope with the loss of their archives in diffrent ways.

He was in a slightly calmer but still pretty occupied corridor when a voice called out to him from behind. He knew who that voice belonged to as soon as he heard it and immediately realized that he had forgot about one factor in all of this.

"Ahh, my favorite little assassin. How are you doing today?"

Tatsumi turned to see the ragged form of the general calmly walking towards him. His tired eyes filled with curiosity. "Or was it ex-assassin?"

"General Makeias!" Tatsumi saluted the man for is rank.

He had momentarily forgotten about the other people that had been sneaking around in the archives during his nightly visit. Had they been Makeias people as he had first suspected? And if that was the case, had they been able to notice him?

"How are you doing today?" Makeias said wih his usual smile." You seem a little bit.. **_tired_**."

_He knows, _Tatsumi thought. The question was how much he knew. Did he know that it had been him who set the building on fire?

"If you excuse me for saying so ,general, you yourself look like you haven't slept in days. As usual."

"Ohh, I know why my body is constantly strained. It is your reason that I'm interested in."

Tatsumi shrugged. "It's been a troublesome day,general. That's all. Thanks for asking."

Makeias gaze traveled down tatsumi's body. "I can't help but notice that you aren't carrying your teigu with you either."

"Not every teigu wielder carries their weapon with them all the time."

"True enough. But I don't see why you wouldn't carry Incursio around. Especially considering your position."

Tatsumi shrugged again."I am actually on my way to pick it up from the jaeger's quarters. What about you, general? Where are you heading?" he asked. His thoughts were moving rapidly in his head. Trying to figure out a way to verify how much the other man knew.

"I am actually on my way to fight your girlfriend. In a small sparring match."

Tatsumi smiled bitterly at the general."My girlfriend died a long time ago."

To Tatsumi, to be girlfriend and boyfriend required that you had some sort of balance in the relationship. Some sort of trust. If the morning had been any proof then Esdeath certainly didn't trust him.

He also knew that Esdeath didn't care much for such titles either. To her their relationship was something more animalistic and instinctive. He was her partner, her mate, her lover. Their relationship was not grounded in something as weak and uncertain as her hoping or trying to make him like her. She would shower him with affection and hope to get some back but if that didn't work, then it didn't change the basics of the situation. She had claimed him as her male and now he belonged to her. Anyone who tried to change that would regret it. Even Tatsumi himself.

Makeias gave him a questioning look.

"But you mean that you are going to fight my lover?"

"Yeeeaaah..." Makeias said slowly while studying Tatsumi's face. Trying to determine what the younger man meant with that distinction.

"I thought I told you that trying to defy Esdeath would only lead you to misery, sir." Tatsumi said while raising an eyebrow at the general.

"Don't you remember what I said about the things that kills us?" Makeias asked.

"I refuse to believe that you are the type of battle fanatic that lets the search for thrills dictate their decisions."

Makeias smile grew a bit wider."Your assumption is correct. But I have my own reasons. I do ,howerver ,get the feeling that I am about to face just that kind of fanatic. Which makes her actions rather easy to predict."

"Be careful, general. If you mistake Esdeath for being a simple minded creature, then it will come back to haunt you. Her mind is far from dull."

"I know." Makeias sighed. "My life would be far easier if she was nothing more than a violent brute."

Now it was Tatsumi's turn to try and decipher what the other man was insinuating.

"Either way, I would like to talk to you. About plans and flames. Seek me up when my little sparring match with you lover is over."

"Of course." Tatsumi answered. He relished the chance to talk Makeias without anyone around. _Especially if he had Incursio with him._ "I am a bit busy today though but i will seek you out as soon as I get some time over."

"Good. You don't want to delay our meeting for too long though, Tatsumi. Believe me." He patted the shorter man on the shoulder and walked of . Disappearing around a corner.

Tatsumi immediately started walking towards the jaeger's quarters again. Thinking about the situation. The good part was that it seemed that he still had some time now. Since Esdeath was heading to a sparring match with Makeias after her meeting. And it seemed like he could at least prioritize the silencing of the anonymous source for now. He would have to figure out how to deal with the genral later.

Why he had been in the barracks belonging to Esdeaths forces in the first place, though?

Half an hour later he had met Wave in his own room inside the jaeger's quarters. It was a small room without any windows but it was well furnished and tidy. A bit nicer than what a normal officer of the empire would recieve during duty.

Wave had been glad to see Tatsumi at first. Believing that this meant that he and Esdeath had worked things out. That enthusiasm quickly faded though. After five minutes, Tatsumi had explained the situation and what he wanted Wave to do. Omitting what he was actually buying time to get done.

"Are you trying to get me killed?" Wave whispered angrily. Suddenly trying to keep quiet even though they were the only ones in his room and the door was locked."You are well aware of how Esdeath handles disobedience."

"She ain't gonna be that hard on you,Wave. She actually thinks you are one of her better subordinates." Tatsumi whispered back. Uncertain of why they were keeping their voices so low.

"Yeah, but I am still her subordinate, not her partner,Tatsumi. I know that you could get away with just some smaller punishment for defying her. If anyone else of her subordinates disobeyed her orders she would make an example out of them. You know that there is no one she is harder on than traitors and deserters."

"Then simply say that I stole Incursio when you wasn't looking."

"Didn't you hear what she said. She even warned me for what would happen if I lost Incursio. She warned me. She almost never give warnings like that." Wave said. His whispering frantic and fearful.

Tatsumi could understand Wave's fear but he needed his teigu."I honestly don't believe she will be that hard on you if she believes that you have been doing your best." he whispered and scratched the back of his head. "But fine. How about this, you tell here that I lied to you and said that she sent me to get it since she no longer thought I killed Bellany."

"I don't know." Wave said. Still unsure. "She will already be angry that you have escaped."

Tatsumi decided that having Wave be his alibi as well would be too much to ask of him. He focused on getting back Incursio.

"After I leave with Incursio, you can go and tell her that you gave it to me. Tell her that you went to her just to make sure you did the right thing. And when it becomes apparent that she doesn't think that you did, then you can tell her where I have gone. Okay?"

If he could send Esdeath on a wild-goose chase out in the slums of the capital he would have more time to find the anonymous source.

Wave still seemed doubtful. Looking at Tatsumi with a concerned look.

"And you can tell her that I didn't want you to tell her where I was going. That ought to earn you some points. Don't you think?"

He put a hand on Wave's shoulder. "I need time to go and prove my innocence, Wave."

Wave sighed."Fine. I will do this favor for you. But I just know that this gonna come back and bite me."

He went over to a big cupboard that was standing on their right side and brought forth a key from one of his pockets. He unlocked it and lifted out Incursio from it. He threw the teigu back to Tatsumi who catched it with one hand.

"If this ends up with her mutilating or killing me then I will be blaming you for it." he said. Casting Tatsumi a sullen look.

Tatsumi looked at him for some moments. He was actually a little bit afraid of something like that happening to Wave. Not that he thought it would but he was still worried.

"Do you have any paper and ink around here Wave?"

"Yeah sure, why?"

"I will write a letter to her that you can use if the situation gets too bad."

* * *

><p>Makeias flew backwards through the air. He stayed about two meter above the ground for almost four seconds before his upper back hit the arena floor. The force of the momentum made him topple over in an involunarily backflip-like movement. Landing on his feet.<p>

As soon as both his feets were on the ground he crouched down slightly as his body slowly came to a halt. After two meters he had finally stopped entirely. He straightened up.

The roar from the crowds were deafining as they cheered for Esdeath's succesfull hit. The first of the match.

When the great general had heard about the match he had immediately ordered them both that they would hold their match in a properly isolated arena in the outskirts of the capital.

Six diffrent teigu wielders were standing around the outline of the arena floor and two regiments of the imperial guard were circulating the perimeter. The generals had both promised to not use their teigus in order to minimize the collateral damage. Both their teigu's were ,however, fused to their bodies so they could not disarm themselves. And the great general did not trust the other generals to not lose their cool once battle was joined.

Makeias wielded a long training staff that he used as a substitute for the long bladed halberd that was his usual weapon. Esdeath carried a slightly smaller training staff but she used it as if it were an insanely long sword. Wielding it with one hand as she usually did with her rapier.

Makeias looked up at huge crowds of people that had gathered in the arena's spectator gallery. The vast majority were cheering for Esdeath. Waving flags with her clan's sign on and roaring in encouragement whenever they thought she got the upper hand.

"You know," he called out, "this was not what I imagined when you said "a small sparring match"."

"I didn't invite them, if that is what you mean." Esdeath said with a smile. Looking both happy,calm and sinister at the same time. Slowly walking towards him.

"You seem to be the crowd favorite though."

"Everyone likes a winner."

"I think it has more to do with your looks to be honest."

She simply smiled at him in response.

Makeias took a deep breath. Assessing the damage. Three of his lower ribs had been broken but that seemed to be it. That was no too bad. This sort of damage wouldn't even slow him down.

He had been lucky though. If she had hit him the throat or face with the same attack the situation would have been much worse.

They had been slowly testing each others abilities for almost two minutes when he had chosen to take a risk. He knew that she had an extremly strong body. He had seen her mop the floor with all who dared to challenge her in any form of physical race or match during her first year in the military. But it was easy to see that her legs were the stronger part of her body. So if he could block her weapon and avoid her leg then he would be in the clear.

Or so he thought. When he had put his theory to the test it had all worked out as he wanted during the first moments of it. He had waited for her next attack and then blocked her training staff. Evaded the obvious follow-up kick and then he had gone in for a counter attack. Reaching out with his arm towards her throat. Thinking that the mayor threaths were avoided.

Ony to feel her fist connect with the lower part of his chest with a force stronger than what he himself could muster with his arms. Sending him flying through the air. He had misjudged the strenght in her slender arms. And it had cost him three ribs.

He took a deep breath and started to walk towards her again. Holding his staff horizontally behind his back.

"Have i misjudged you since the very beginning or have your body gotten even stronger during these last two years?"

She shrugged. "I guess it have. I am always trying to find ways to get better at fighting. My body has simply adapted to my will. That and the fact that it is constantly trained during battle."

Makeias smiled. "Training in real life battle,eh?! I can relate. Way too often that is the only type of training our ground troops get."

"It is a good way to cull away those that can't handle themselves." Esdeath said. Keeping her calm smile.

Makeias smile faded a little bit. The distance between them were growing very short now.

"Your fighting style is self thought isn't it?" he asked.

She nodded at him.

"Thought as much. That explains why I don't reco-"

He interrupted himself in the middle of his sentence. Launching himself forward in an attempt to catch her off guard. Reaching out with an arm toward her face. Bringing his staff around to block her when she tried to bring her own weapon up to smash him away. Just as his finger were about to connect with her face, she grabbed him around the wrist with her free hand.

She drew his body past her side and started to lift her leg to kick him while he was flying past her. Makeias did however notice this and brought the end of his staff down into the ground. Pushing himself higher up into the air before her kick could hit him. The push made his body spin around a couple of times before he landed on his feet. Directly going into a crouching position. The entire attack was over in the span of a second.

He had landed about a meter and a half away from her. They were both well within range of each others weapons. Both stayed entirely still. Watching each other,waiting for the other one to make a move. Due to the results of the last attack, Esdeath now had her side turned towards him. Her training weapon was in the hand at the other side of her body. It made all the diffrence in the world right now.

Those who were not used to observe fighting on this level didn't understand why both generals suddenly weren't moving a muscle, after those lightning fast movements just a moment ago.

But the teigu user who watched knew that this could be the conclusive moment. As luck would have it, Makeias had landed on Esdeaths more defenseless side. It was as good of an opening he could get and a warrior of general level could cause some serious damage if given a free hit.

The next move could be the last and it would all come down to speed.

"I should have guessed that you were the kind of warrior to use such cheap tricks." Esdeath said. Referring to how he had used her courtesy against her when he used a conversation to catch her slightly unaware.

"Esdeath, we have both been on the battlefield long enough to know that there are only two types of warriors. Those who survive.."" Makeias smiled a bitter smile, "..and those who don't."

Esdeath looked at him for a moment. Then she let her more bestial smile spread across her face. Baring her teeth at him. "Well said."

She started to move a step back but Makeias was ready. Immediately launching towards her. Bringing his staff around in a long arc so that she wouldn't get away. But the moment he launched himself forwards she changed direction. Kicking off the ground so that she sent herself flying towards him. She had no chance to bring around her weapon in time but neither did he, now that he had commited his arm to a longer swing. He suddenly remembered how much stronger she was than him.

_Feint!_, was the only thing he had time to think before she smashed into him with her elbow. He had brought his own arm up to block it and reduce the damage but the hit still lifted him off his feet. Sending him flying backwards once again.

But this time she followed him.

She jumped straight forward. Intending to attack him as soon as he landed if not before that. When Makeias saw that she was getting close he brought his staff down towards the ground in order to change the direction of his momentum once again. But this time Esdeath was ready for the trick and swatted away his staff when it got close to the ground. This did however put her in a position where he could easily direct a strong kick towards the side of her head. Which she easily blocked with an arm but the kick then served the same purpose as the staff would have done. Sending them both flying in diffrent direction. Both landed comfortably on their feet. Almost ten meters from each other.

For the exception of the three broken ribs, they were back at square one.

Makeias straightened a bit as Esdeath started walking towards him again. He didn't like his chances of winning this match. It had become clear to him that ,while he was a head taller than Esdeath, she was much stronger than him. Their speeds were a bit more evenly matched but she had the edge on him there as well.

He was used to facing off against opponents who were more proficient in battle than himself. His entire military career was based upon him defeating warriors superior to him. Using his wits and tricks to gain the upper hand. But this time would be tougher. Esdeath had superb instincts and they had no other tools than their training staffs. It was hard to gain the upper hand through tricks and wits when the scenario was so basic. If he could have used his teigu openly it would have been a diffrent story.

No, he would most likely not be able to win this match, Makeias concluded.

But that had never been his main purpose for accepting her challenge. This match could mean a lot more than a simple sparring match between two generals if he managed to do what he had come here to do.

If he could manage to touch her skin directly then he could infect her with his teigu. Even if it was only the slightest touch he would still be able to put a small infection into her. She would most likely notice that something was going on if he did but that didn't matter. She wouldn't be able to tell what he was doing specifically. She wouldn't be able to tell what he was going to hide in her body.

Even with her monstrous physique, his teigu would at least be able to slow her down a little when he choose to activate what he was gonna put inside of her. That could literally change the fate of the empire if he used it at the right time in the future.

He just needed to touch her skin for some moments. Just a second or two. Just a slight touch. _And then the empire would be his._

"You have been silent for a while, pillager." Esdeath said as she got closer to him."I hope you are not breaking down already. We have barely started."

Makeias smiled his usual sly smile."How would you break something that was never whole?" he asked and dashed towards her.

Kurome watched how the two generals jumped around each other from the sideline. She had been summoned as one of the teigu users that were stationed to watch over the duel in case something went wrong or out of control. While the crowd that had gathered was roaring and cheering in amazement, she could easily tell that both the generals were only testing the waters. Poking at each others defenses and abilities. None of them seemed to be willing to commit to anything yet. With the exception of the hit Makeias had received in his chest.

She had hoped that Wave would have been here as well but the young man was nowhere to be seen.

Now she had to deal with the advances from some of the other teigu users on her own. During this last year, Kurome had noticed that some of the men she worked with had started to look at her in a diffrent way. Some had even tried to flirt with her. Most of them stayed away when Wave was around though. She missed the young man which she had come to regard as her closest ally in the capital.

Ten minutes later, Makeias was panting heavily. He had to stay at the top of his game at all time. Otherwise Esdeath would capitalise on his momentary relapse. He was starting to realize just how big the gap in between them were. At least when it concerned physical strength. He had not been able to even grace her skin.

"Are you sure that damn teigu of yours haven't turned you into a demon?" he called out to her as she walked towards him. "Because you sure as hell doesn't seem to be human."

"Can't say that I care." Esdeath said with a smile. Holding her cap in place with a hand."You yourself seem to have quite the control of your own body. I felt your ribs break under my hand, yet you are still able to put pressure on your chest when you jump around."

He smiled and shrugged.

"By the way, pillager. I can't help but notice that you have been trying to touch my skin for a while now. I thought we agreed upon not using our teigus." she said as she steadily approached him. Keeping the cold smile.

"Believe me, Esdeath. You would know if I activated my teigu." he lied. He was certain that there were very few in the capital that actually knew about his teigu's abilities.

"Why then?"

"Well, what can I say.. You are a gorgeous woman. Can't blame a man for wanting to touch your beautiful skin."

Her smile grew wider. Not believing him for a second."Then lower your weapon and stay still. I will let you feel the skin of my knuckles against your face as many times as you like."

"Thanks for the offer but I am not that desperate yet.", he said with a smile. She jumped at him and they once again started to trade blows with each other.

Not much more for this then, Makeias thought as he jumped up a couple of meters into the air in order to avoid one of Esdeath's swings. If she was aware that he was trying to touch her then he was probably not gonna be able to do so. Not without risking taking some serious damage. Which he was he not willing to do when the outcome was so uncertain.

"Let's talk a little bit about your relationship with my partner, pillager." Esdeath said as she striked her training staff against his with both her hands. Forcing the other general back with her assault.

"Hmm?" Makeias gave her a questioning look before he swinged his own staff into her blocking one. He was unsure of how much Tatsumi had told her about their earlier meeting.

"You have been trading knowing glances with each other everytime you are in the same room. Why?" she said calmly.

"Sorry to tell you this ,Esdeath, but sometimes boys can be intrested in each other as well. Sorry if I have stolen your lovers intrest from you." He said as he ducked one of her swings.

Esdeath did not appreciate the joke. "You will stay away from Tatsumi. He belongs to me." She put further emphazises on her statement by striking at his staff with all her strength. Making Makeias stumble backwards.

"You might want to talk to him about that. When I met him earlier today he seemed to be happy with our relation."

Esdeath momentarily lowered her weapon. "You met him today?" she asked. Sounding suprised.

"Yeah. I met him when he was walking past one of your barracks. Right before I came over here."

Esdeath's eyes widened slightly."This not one of your jokes, is it?" She said in a hard voice.

"Is my humor really that bad? There was nothing funny about my last statement."

Esdeath looked at him for a moment and then decided that he was telling the truth.

"I had intended to play around with you for a much longer time but now it seems like my duties once again spoils my fun." she said.

"Do explain." Makeias said. Smiling.

"It's nothing that you need to know." She said in a grim voice. "General Makeias." she exclaimed loudly. "If you admit your defeat right here and now, then I will let you walk away with just this. You should considered yourself lucky."

Makeias thought for a moment. He had already given up on trying to get a part of his teigu inside of her in this duel. It was a pity but it was simply not possible now that she knew that he was up to something. So this was probably for the better. He had an small urge to keep Esdeath occupied for a little while. Since it seemed like she really needed to go and do something. But since he didn't know what he would be delaying it was no point to it.

He answered her in an equally loud voice. "I have enjoyed our little sparring match. It is a pity that you have to leave already. I accept my defeat." He said with a mocking smile. Bowing down in a ridiculing motion.

The gesture true intent was not lost on Esdeath but she let it slide. For now. Her duties took precedence over her own fun. She had planned to make the man properly submit to her, to make him hurt a lot. But now there was not much to do about it.

She turned around and walked off at a fast pace. A feeling she wasn't so used to feeling had started to build in her chest, worry.

The crowd was completly silent as they watched the very sudden, and to them, unsatisfying conclusion to the match. No one knew why Esdeath had chosen to leave already. The teigu users sighed a collective breath of relief as it became clear that the match was over. Makeias remained standing in place after he had straightened up. Watching how his opponent left.

Esdeath walked out of the arena. Heading straight for her chambers.

* * *

><p>Tatsumi walked into the main post office of the military. The military postal system and message delivery had an entire wing of the palace dedicated to it. It was one of the biggest institutions in the capital that were only focused on administrative work. The person he was searching for was supposed to be here somewhere.<p>

After he had gotten the teigu from Wave he had spent the day consulting some of his informants and allies. Finding the anonymous source had turned out to be harder than he had expected. No one seemed to know what had happened to Bellany. She had been seen leaving the military district the archives were located in just as the fire started to envelope the entire archive. Heading for the palace. But what had happened after that was a mystery.

Which didn't make the situation any easier since Tatsumi had no idea if she would suddenly turn up from nowhere with her accusations.

It had also been hard to even deduce who the anonymous informant might be. Bellany had a rather large network of fellow soldiers she worked with. It could pretty much have been any one of them. But he knew that whoever they were, they had probably been following him during the night, along with Bellany. So his best guess were that the anonymous source was one of the soldiers she had last been seen with.

And it seemed that she had been in this part of the palace during midnight ,yesterday ,when a soldier came running and fetched her.

He had gotten the name of the man that was the last person she was seen talking to before her soldiers came and got her. Which by coincidence was a man that he had buisness with outside of this situation.

The institution were pretty much in chaos. Losing the archives had been even harder on this organization than any other part of the military. Since all registers, addresses and troop positionings were lost. He walked up to the reception but it took almost twenty minutes before anyone came to help him.

After showing his jaeger insignia and talking to the personnel he managed to figure out where the person he was searching for was. He had apparently just returned from delivering messages for some ministers.

He was given direction of where to find him and walked away.

He found the man he was searching for sitting in what seemed to be a dining hall. He was sitting among friends at a table in the middle of the crowded hall. Even though it was the first time Tatsumi saw him, it was easy to see who he was since he was the only one in the room who fit the description he had been given.

He walked up to him and tapped him lightly on the shoulder."Military courier Isamu? Could I have a minute."

"Can't this wait? I'm having my break right now." he said and turned around.

The young man was rather tall. Even when he was sitting, Tatsumi could tell that he probably was two heads taller than him. He was very well trained and had alot of messy blonde hair falling down on his shoulders.

"Sorry. Jaeger buisness. Your lunch will have to wait." the entire table grew quiet at those words.

Only now did Isamu realize who he probably was talking to.

"Tatsumi, I would presume." he said and rose up from his seat.

Tatsumi nodded to him.

"Have you come here to try and intimidate me, jaeger?" he said in a rather unfriendly tone.

"I told you,didn't I? This is jaeger work. Come with me for a moment." Tatsumi said in a tired voice. He could already tell that this would be troublesome.

"Just saying that this is related to the jaegers doesn't really answer my question." the other man said and crossed his arms over his chest.

He got some encouraging mumbling from his friends who were sitting at the table. A big part of the military didn't like the jaegers. Partly because of the complete authority they had over most other parts of the military. They only had to answer to the top of the military. But mainly it was because of the teigus that all the members possessed. Most people regarded teigus as strange, unnatural and to some extent evil in their nature.

Tatsumi couldn't blame them. Even if it was a bit satisfying to see how the taller boys eyes were constantly slipping down to Incursio, which was strapped across Tatsumi's lower back.

He shighed."This is a murder investigation, Courier. Are you sure that you want to make this more difficult than it needs to be."

Isamu got a suprised look on his face."Who died?"

"Bellany. Main administrator over Esdeath's collected legions" He said and studied the other boys face."I have been told that you knew each other."

Isamu's blue eyes widened slightly."Yeah, we did. I talked with her yesterday."

"Come with me for a moment, I have some questions for you." Tatsumi said and gestured towards the door. Isamu hesitated for some moments but then nodded and walked out of the dining hall with Tatsumi.

* * *

><p>Wave could feel how the sweat was making his shirt stick unto his back. He was standing outside of Esdeath's chambers. He hadn't dared to knock yet. He had given Tatsumi an hour before he had gone searching for Esdeath. After asking around a bit he learned that she had been seen quickly walking back towards her chambers after her sparring match with general Makeias.<p>

He sighed deeply. His kindness had gotten the better of him again. He gathered his resolve and raised his hand.

He managed to knock two times on the doors before he heard a scream from inside the chambers. A shrill and feminine one. It lasted for less than two seconds before it fell silent so abruptly that it made the hair on his arms rise.

"General Esdeath" he called out. He waited for three seconds before he opened up one of the unlocked doors and ran into the room. He quickly looked around. He had never been inside her personal chambers before so he had no idea of where each one of the doors lead. But only one pair of doors were wide open and it was in the direction of the scream he had heard. He rushed through them and then through yet another room. Running in the general direction of the cry he had heard.

After some seconds he came into what looked like a bedroom. He halted himself in the doorway.

Esdeath was sitting on her knees in the middle of a huge bed on the other side of the room with her side to him. Her long hair falling down on the bed all around her. A chain and some handcuffs were laying in front of her. She didn't even give him a glance as he took a step into the room. She had a solemn expression on her face. She actually looked kind of sad. She was staring at a belt she was holding in in one of her hands.

"Why must you do these things to me, Tatsumi?" she silently said and opened her hand slightly. Letting the belt slip out of her hand and down on the bed. Wave could see that it had been cut open.

He took one more step into the room and was about to ask her if the scream had been hers. But when he took that step the origin of that scream came into his field of vision. He drew a sharp breath.

On the wall to the left of the doors he had entered through, a servant was nailed to the wall. A maid. She had an icecicle bigger than a baseball bat stuck into her mouth, through her head and into the wall behind her. Pinning the dead body to the wall. The huge piece of ice had been far too big for the little girl's mouth. Her jaws has dislodged from her skull, opening her mouth up to an horrifying width for her otherwise small head. Her cheeks had been torn open by the widening of her jaw. Revealing that most of her teeths had been smashed to splinters as well. A pool of blood was already forming around her dangling feet.

Wave clenched his teeth and forced down his urge to walk out of the room. _Damn you, Tatsumi._ He looked away from the body and took another step towards Esdeath.

Esdeath still didn't look at him. She was slightly hunched forward. Looking at the metal bindings lying in front of her. "Is there no binding I can put on you that will make you stay where I want you?"

"Commander?" he tried. Speaking so silent that it almost was a whisper.

She sighed."What do you want,Wave?" she said with an empty voice. Not looking at him.

"What happened ?" he asked.

"Tatsumi has run away from me. Again. Someone set him free." she said, her voice growing a bit harder. " Most likely one of the attendants."

"Was it the girl who is on the wall?"

"I don't know." she said ni an slightly irritated voice. "But it doesn't matter, there is about fifteen people that have free entrance into my chambers. They will all die for this. Unless one of them can provide proof that he or she was not involved in this."

"Esdeath." Wave said a bit louder. She looked at him for the first time since he had entered the room and he immediately remembered his position and manners."Excuse me for stepping a bit out of line general, but ain't that a bit extreme?"

"It's more than just them freeing Tatsumi, Wave. They are allowed to walk around freely in these chambers where I keep everything from state secrets to occasional teigus. They are trusted to not touch or meddle with anything that is not a part of their job. Now one of them has betrayed that trust. It is in these types of scenarios were you should statuate an example and not take any risks." she said. Sounding like she was casually teaching him a normal lesson in leadership.

She crawled out of the bed and stood up. "And the first job the new staff will have will be to gather and dispose of the remains of their predecessors. Should be a good lesson for them."

She started to walk over to one of the drawers in the room."Though I will not deny that the fact that one of them has momentarily bereft me of my mate will not be easing their passing." she said. Anger creeping into her cold expression.

She opened the drawer where Tatsumi kept his civilian clothes and started to look through them. Trying to deduce which ones were missing.

Wave decided that the longer he delayed telling her, the worse this would probably get.

"Commander." he said and walked up to her. Stopping when he was just a couple of steps in front of her."I met Tatsumi an hour ago."

Her eyes were on him immediately."Where?"

"The jaegers quarters, he came to meet me." he said. Steadily meeting her gaze.

Esdeath turned and took a step towards him. Now standing less than a meter away from him.

"And you gave him Incursio,didn't you?" ,her tone was calm and ice-cold. Holding promises of horrible things to come.

"He said that you two had resolved the problem and that you were going to let him walk around as he pleased again." he quickly said."He said that it was you who had sent him to retrieve it."

Wave had lied to his commander before but it still left him with a bitter aftertaste. But considering his alternatives, it was an easy choice.

"And you thought nothing more about it." she said in the same cold and ominous voice.

"No, commander. I didn't. I'm very sorry." he quickly bowed down as deeply as he could without his head bumping into her.

One of her hands came down and grabbed his chin. Her long and slender fingers grabbing an iron grip around his jaw. She tilted his head upwards so that she could look down on his face.

"Do you have any more excuses that you wish to say?"

Wave felt how fear started build up inside of him. It didn't seem like he had managed to avoid the punishment.

"I do, I do!" he said loudly."Or rather, I mean- not an excuse, I don't want to excuse my- I know that I made a mistake- I just thought" he started to franically stutter.

Esdeat slapped him across the face with the back of the hand that wasn't holding his jaw. The momentary pain and sharp sound stopped Wave's frantic talking.

"Calm down,Wave." Esdeath said in the same cold voice. Still keeping his head in an iron hold at about the same height as her chest. "Whatever fate awaits you won't get any better by you panicking."

Wave looked up at her for a moment and then took a deep breath. Strangly enough, the lingering pain on the side of his face actually made him a little bit calmer.

"I realize that I once again have made a grave mistake while in your service. However, I don't think the fallout of this mistake need to be that bad."

"Explain." Esdeath said. Giving him a chance to redeem himself.

"Tatsumi told me where he was going. He is heading out into the slums of the city. He said that he was gonna find a way to prove his innocence and then return to you."

"How?" A small tone of genuine curiosity sneaked it's way into her voice.

"I don't know. He said that he didn't want you to know where he was going. He told me to not tell you."

"And that didn't make you suspect anything?" she asked.

"No. Well, yes but he told me that you had chosen to trust him." Wave lied. "He asked me to give you this letter."

Coming to the end of his rope, Wave felt that it was time to use the sealed letter that Tatsumi had written for him. He reached down into his pocket and fished up the folded piece of paper and gave it to her.

She took it with her free hand opened the seal with a finger and read through the short message written on the paper in a sloppy handwriting that she would recognize anywhere. Still holding Wave's head in her other hand.

_**"I will return to you later tonight.**_

_**Don't blame Wave. I escaped you and I fooled him.**_

_**If you deform or kill him I will never forgive you."**_

She immediately turned her face to Wave again.

"Do you think that I am gonna kill you,Wave?" she asked with an empty voice.

His eyes widened slightly. "N-no.. of course not... are you?"

"Of course not." she echoed. "Don't be silly."

She did not like the last sentence in the message though. She didn't like that he was trying to coerce her into not doing something. A part of her almost wanted to smash Wave's face in just to show Tatsumi that he couldn't boss her around. Not that she would ever hurt one of her subordinates to satisfy such a selfish wish. Least of all Wave, who she considered to be one of her best. She had grown quite fond of the blue haired boy during the last years.

"I was considering punishing you for letting Incursio escape your grasp but the more I think about it the more unreasonable that seems. Considering this would never have happened if I didn't fail to restrain Tatsumi in the first place." She let go of his chin.

He straightened and rubbed his chin with one of his hands. "This is why I still respect you so much, Commander!" Wave said with a smile. Trying his best to ignore that there was a young girl hanging dead from the wall behind him. "And I really am sorry for letting Incursio escape me."

"It's okay Wave, Incursio belongs with Tatsumi. Just as he belongs with me. It was more the fact that you failed to do as I bid you than the fact that Incursio now is in Tatsumi's hands that annoyed me." She turned around to the drawer again. Starting to once again rummage through Tatsumi's clothes. "I actually didn't like it when the great general demanded that Tatsumi would not be allowed to have his teigu when he joined the jaegers again."

She brought one of Tatsumi's shirts up to her face and sniffed it. Trying to determine if it had been used. "Incursio is part of his strength and I want him to be as strong as he can possibly be."

"Yet the great general managed to get the support of the imperial court in that matter." Wave said. Remembering how strange those first months with Tatsumi had been.

"It was a reasonable request." Esdeath admitted. "And I will take whatever I can get when it comes to Tatsumi. Even if it just a little bit of what he could be."

"But in the end you managed to get Incursio back." Wave said with a smile.

"It took some negotiations. I had to do some small deals and call in some favours. But of course I got around it in the end. To Budo's dismay." Esdeath smiled a triumphant smile at the memory.

She closed the drawer. She had managed to figure out that Tatsumi was wearing his brown coat but that was it.

"You see Wave, when it comes to Tatsumi, my needs and desires only grow stronger and more aggressive if I am denied them." She walked over to her weapon, which was resting against the bedframe.

"It doesn't matter if it is the great general not letting me have his full strength or Tatsumi trying to keep his body away from me. If they deny me in this matter, then they challenge me. And I always crush my oppositions. One way or another."

She grabbed her weapon and started walking towards the door.

"I will not let Tatsumi run around on his own. I will show him that his freedom belongs to me as well."

She gestured for Wave to follow her. "Come Wave. You will help me find him. Before he does something stupid."

"Yes,general." he replied with gusto. He started to walk after her. He was however slowed down for some seconds when a very daring painting on one of the walls momentarily caught his attention. Turning his cheeks red.

* * *

><p><strong>Author's note:<strong>

**So yeah, as mentioned, I wrote about 80% of this chapter without saving and then lost everything due to temporarily losing my internet connection. That is why this has been delayed by ****four days****. Sorry about that.**

**A bit of transistional chapter. Building up for what's to come.**

**I am a bit unsatisfied with my current release schedule. I want these chapter to be ****released**** towards the end of the week. Not in the beginning of it. I will correct this by making the next chapter a little bit smaller so that I can get it done faster. So there will be two new chapters this week.**

**As always, thanks a lot for reading. The fact that you people read and follows this tory is the bigger part of why it is continuing. At least at this pace.**

**Have a great day and take care of each other.**


	10. Internal struggle 1

**A little shorter entry into the story this time.**

**The chapter is once again split in two in order to keep regularity in the size of the ****chapters in ****this story.**

* * *

><p><strong>Internal struggle. (12)**

Tatsumi walked through the corridors of the institution belonging to the imperial postal service. Isamu walking beside him. To say that the atmosphere was tense would be an understatement.

After talking for a short while, Tatsumi had learned that Isamu personally knew the soldiers that claimed that they had been the last people to see Bellany the night prior. Tatsumi had then managed to persuade the other man to show him who these people were. He had begrudingly agreed to do so. He had walked off to send a message for some soldiers to meet up with Tatsumi at the entrance to the institution. To then lead him to the persons he was searching for.

Now they were walking over to the entrance of the institution together and not a single word had been spoken for five minutes.

Both of the young men knew why the mood between them was so cold. They still hadn't talked about Esdeath. Tatsumi was still trying to figure out a way to tell the other man to give up on his pursuit of the ice queen without seeming too confrontational. It was clear that the other man had no love for him. He didn't know if it was because he was a part of the jaegers or because the man viewed him as a rival. It could also be because of his history. He had no way to discern it and the more tired he got, the less he started to care.

"Listen, Isamu. I know that we have something we need to talk about. I think you do as well." Tatsumi said. Trying to sound relatively friendly.

"We certainly have some unfinished buisness, jaeger." Isamu said. His voice hard and irritated. Unwilling to show Tatsumi any reluctance or fear of confrontation.

Isamu had faced rivals in love before. He found that it was natural that those situations occured if everyone just followed their hearts as he did. It was something he fully accepted and he had found a certain level of respect for his rivals in the past. If for no other reason than the honesty of their intentions. The fact that he almost always came out on top made it a lot easier as well.

But this was diffrent. Tatsumi had never been pursuing or trying to get Esdeath. He had just been given her favor and affection without doing anything in order to obtain it. He even still refused her at times, if the rumors were true. He had not only had the amazing luck of getting the love of not only an extreme beauty but also one of the most powerful and influential women in the entire empire, if not **the** most powerful and influential one. And he had the audacity to just snub the thing that boys in the entire empire could just dream of.

To Isamu it was not just arrogant. It was outright disrespectful to the rest of them. If Tatsumi now was worried that he might actually lose that gigantic priveledge, then Isamu couldn't be anything but happy about it. And then there was also the fact that Tatsumi had been(and according to many, still was) a traitor. Both to the empire and then to the revolutionary army. He was the definition of a turncoat.

"Isamu, I have no ill will against you, believe me." Tatsumi said. Trying to be diplomatic."I am actually here to warn you."

"Is this about the murder investigation?" Isamu asked. If this was some warning related to the investigation then he wanted to be professional about it.

"No, this is about your visit to Esdeath the other day." Tatsumi said tiredly.

"I guessed as much." Isamu said with a smile."How did you learn about? Did the rumors reach you?"

Isamu had been very proud of his, what he thought to be , somewhat successfull attempt to court the ice queen. He had told almost all of his friends about it. Everyone who had said he was crazy to try it. And rumors had started to spread like wildfire. Much to Isamu's joy. Rumors that Tatsumi might have a contender.

Tatsumi himself had heard none of these rumors. He had been way to busy the last thirty four hours.

_I was laying comfortably in her bed when you made your foolish mistake, _Tatsumi thought. He didn't say it though. Unwilling to walk down that road right now. He was trying to help the delusional boy.

"Let's just say that I have heard about it."

"I bet you have." the other boy replied. Keeping his smirk.

"You are about to make a grave mistake, Isamu. You don't want the kind of attention that Esdeath is intending to give you."

"Just because you dislike it doesn't mean that the rest of us do."

"Have you seen her pets, Isamu?" Tatsumi asked. Still keeping a calm voice.

"No but I have heard of them." the other boy said. Raising an eyebrow at Tatsumi.

"A sad bunch. For the most part. And you know what? Some of them started out just like you. Go and watch what has become of some of them."

"Only the weak willed will let the failures of others dissuade them from following their hearts. Not that I think you can understand that, considering your history of changing convictions." the other man said. Putting some weight behind his last sentence.

"You have no idea what you are talking about." Tatsumi said. He was starting to question why he was trying to save this boy from his fate.

"Whatever. Did you honestly believe that I would stop my pursuit of general Esdeath's heart just because you would tell me so? Are you that naive?"

Tatsumi was starting to run out of patience. He was tired and had began to wonder why he was trying to stop Isamu when he clearly was so intent on trying. In a way he found it kind of admiring. Trying to achieve your dream even if you knew that it was most likely impossible. It reminded him of so many members of the revolutionary army. It was the feeling that Isamu didn't realize how futile his attempts were or how dire the consequences might be, that drove Tatsumi to give it a last try.

"Well,remember what i said anyway. Listen, I have better things to put my mind to. So I will just ask you, is there any way I can dissuade you from chasing after Esdeath?"

This was the chance that Isamu had been hoping for.

"Actually there might be one way."

Esdeath had told Isamu to impress her. She had told him that she was giving him another chance. As far as he was concerned, that meant that she had given him her permission to compete with Tatsumi. And he could think of no better way to impress her than showing how superior he was to Tatsumi. He had heard how much she valued strength in those around her.

"Let's handle this as men, Tatsumi. Let's have a fair fight and see who comes out on top. If you manage to beat me, then I shall do as you bid me and stop chasing after Esdeath's affection."

_Lovely, not just dim-witted but a brute as well_, Tatsumi thought. Looking at the other boy who was almost two heads taller than him.

"Fine, if that is the only way, then I don't mind." he said and shrugged.

"Of course without weapons. I hope you can agree that it would be rather unfair otherwise."Isamu said and nodded towards Incursio.

_But the fact that you probably weighs almost as twice as much as me wouldn't? _"Fine."

Isamu was very brawny and Tatsumi was pretty sure that he was a capable fighter as well. Most of the military couriers that delivered such important messages as Isamu needed to be rather proficient in combat. So that they could defend themselves and the messages they carried if necessary.

But Tatsumi could tell with a glance that Isamu had never been in a real life-threatening scenario. He had never stared death in the eyes. He knew little of what real pain was. Physically, emotionally or mentally. Tatsumi could beat his kind with one hand tied behind his back.

"Sure. When shall we do this. I'm kind of busy." he said and put his hands in his pockets.

"How about as soon as we meet the soldiers that are gonna take you to the last people who saw Bellany last night."

"Okay then. Let's go away to somewhere a bit more secluded before we do though. I have no desire to cause a commotion."

"Fair enough. The other soldiers will come with us then. So that they can act as witnesses."

"As you wish." Tatsumi said.

He couldn't say that he really minded giving Isamu a beating but he needed to be quick about it. It was almost dinner time now and Esdeath would soon notice that he was gone. Both of the youths kept walking towards the entrance of the institution in silence.

* * *

><p>Tatsumi, Isamu and the five other soldiers that had originally come to meet up with them walked into an empty training hall in a wing of the palace that belonged to Esdeath's legions. There were many of these kind of smaller training halls in this part of the palace. Most of them were empty now though. Since it was around dinner time and most soldiers and warriors were either eating or on duty.<p>

"Are you sure about this?" The officer of the little group that had come to meet them asked Tatsumi. Looking concerned. He was a bulky man ni his late forties. He had greying hair and a big mustach. "Please don't take me wrong,sir, but I think we could get in real trouble for letting you two do this."

All the five soldiers that had come to pick Tatsumi up seemed to be a part of one of the gun squadrons from Esdeath's legions. He could not only see it on the uniforms but the officer actually carried a rifle over his back.

"Don't worry about it. Esdeath won't hear about it." Tatsumi said. Untroubled by the situation. He just wanted to get this over with.

"Yeah, at least not about your part in it." Isamu filled in. He seemed really confident.

"I will trust in both of you then." the officer said. Still looking rather anxious.

They walked until they were in the middle of the small hall. Then Tatsumi turned around to Isamu.

"Well then, shall we begin?" he asked as he stretched his arms over his head.

"Not so fast. I think you can understand that I can't trust that you will not use the teigu if things don't go your way." He pointed at the officer."Give him your teigu while we battle."

The officer took a step backwards. "I would rather not get involved anymore than necessary in this." he said in scared voice. Holding up his hands in front of him.

Tatsumi sighed."No need to be alarmed, officer. This will be over quickly." He reached over and grabbed Incursio. He held it out to the officer. "Just stay where I can see you, okay?"

The officer nodded."I will try to stay in your field of vision as much as possible, sir." he said and carefully reached out and took Incursio. He held it completly still some moments after Tatsumi had let go of it. Seemingly afraid of the teigu itself. Then he slowly started to walk a couple of steps back with it.

When he put his foot down at the fifth step, he took a stance and threw Incursio to the other side of the hall. The moment he did, the other four soldiers who were standing around Tatsumi immediately attacked him.

The two soldiers that were standing right in front of him suddenly directed one punch each towards him. Aimed at his throat and chest. Tatsumi's body reacted faster than his thoughts. He immediately ducked down. Avoiding their blows. He put one hand on the floor and then kicked both of the soldiers in their stomachs with both his legs at the same time. Making them fall over backwards from the impacts.

When he put his feet down on the ground again, one of the soldiers behind him threw himself on him. Holding an arm around his neck. Trying to put him in a stranglehold. He swinged around fast. Making the other man swing around behind him. Since he maintained his grip around Tatsumi's throat. Tatsumi turned around towards the last standing soldier and grabbed the arm around his throat. Preparing to throw the soldier on his back into his comrade who had been standing behind Tatsumi.

But as he turned around he saw how the last soldier was throwing something against him. He brought out his hand to block it but it flew in between his fingers. For the second time in twenty four hours, Tatsumi felt how he inhaled paralyzing powder.

The arm around his neck immediately let go. "You idiot! You got some on my face as well." the soldier behind Tatsumi yelled. Stumbling backwards and falling over. Already losing his balance.

It was the same weaponized powder that Bellany had used on him in the archives but it was much worse this time around for Tatsumi. Partly because he had inhaled much more this time but mainly because he didn't have Incursio on. The last time, the teigu's defensive powers had made him able to resist the poison's effect but now he had no such luck.

He immediately turned towards where his teigu was lying. Starting to move as fast as he could towards it but he fell over on one knee after four steps. He brought a fist down into the ground in order to steady himself. He was already losing his balance. He started to stand up more slowly. Trying to get closer to Incusio.

He only managed to get up on his feet before Isamu kicked him in the side. Sending him tumbling over. He came to a halt two meters away. Lying on his stomach.

"I would like to say that this is nothing personal but it kind of is." Isamu said. His smile almost apologetic. "You see, these five men are my friends and they have all lost family members to night raid and the revolutionary army."

Tatsumi tried to rise up on shaky arms but Isamu made a stomping kick on his upper back. Smashing Tatsumi into the floor again. He looked over at Incursio. It was more than ten meters away.

"That is why they, just as Bellany, could see through your act." Isamu said. "You see, they didn't come here to bring you to the last people in the military who saw Bellany, they **are** the last people in the military who saw Bellany."

Behind Tatsumi, the two soldiers that he had kicked had gotten up. One was helping the man who had inhaled the powder, along with the one who had thrown it. The soldier they were starting to straighten up had already passed out. The officer and the other man Tatsumi had kicked were walking over to where he was laying.

"You bastard." the man he had kicked said. Holding a hand over his stomach."We know that it was you who set fire to the archives. We saw how you moved into the district right before it started to burn. And we know that Bellany followed you. And she never returned." he almost screamed the last words and kicked Tatsumi in the side. Tatsumi couldn't even feel it anymore. His body mostly numb by now.

The officer turned around to the other three soldiers. "Just put him in a comfortable position." he shouted at them as they tried to get their comrade into a sitting position. " He won't be able to move for quite a while. One of you go out and act as a lookout."

Isamu crouched down in front of Tatsumi."You see Tatsumi, I intended for this to happen before you even gave me a chance to challenge you to a duel. I never thought that you deserved a fair fight. This does ,however ,serve two purposes. Now my friends here can give you a little bit of what you deserve and then I can demonstrate my superiority over you to Esdeath."

Tatsumi turned his head to look at him. No longer able to move his arms very well. He could feel his conscious starting to fade.

"I sent her a message as well when I was informing these guys about the situation." he said and nodded towards the soldiers. "Informing her that you and I would be dueling somewhere in this barrack. I would guess that she will be here in about an hour. She was seen traveling towards one of the slums in the outskirts of the capital. So it will take her a while to get here once she receives the message."

Isamu rose up."By then these guys will have given you a taste of what you deserve and I will have returned here. Just in time for her to come and find you defeated at my feet. With theses soldiers as my witnesses that it was a fair fight that you yourself initiated.

Tatsumi rose his head a little bit from the ground. "You fool!" he tried to shout but it only came out as a whisper.

Isamu walked past the officer and headed towards the door out."Remember to not hurt him too badly. We don't want it to look like I went too much overboard."

"Relax. We don't want him to die here either." the older man said while he slowly loaded his firearm. Putting a barrel into it's pipe. "We want his treachery to be exposed to the rest of the empire. So that he then can face his fate in the torture chambers. Hopefully by general Esdeath's own hands."

Isamu nodded to the man."Good. See you in an hour then." He turned around and walked out of the training hall.

Tatsumi's mind was getting foggy. He had almost lost all control of his body. He could barely move his fingers. When the three other men started kicking and stomping on him he could barely notice it. When one of them grounded the fingers of his left hand under their boot, he didn't even feel how his nails were splintered and forced into his flesh.

After ten minutes of violent kicking, they paused.

The officer brought forth his gun.

"Whoa,whoa,whoa. We can't shoot him. The general will realize something is amiss if he has a bullet wound on him." one of the two soldiers cried out.

"I have to! You don't understand." the officer said with a shaky voice. "They shot my daughter. One of those night raid bastards killed her with one of their damn teigus. They didn't even leave a body for me to bury."

One of the two soldiers put an hand on the officer's shoulder as they started to shake. Looking at his superior with pity.

"I need to return some of this pain to them." the officer said as his eyes started to water. "She had just been permitted to join the special forces. She was just a teenager."

The other soldier put his hand on the officer's shoulder as well. Trying to show his support."Fine. If it is so important for you. We can get away with it looking like a normal wound if the shot only graces him slightly. Are you okay with that?"

The officer nodded. Holding back his tears of rage.

Tatsumi himself had now lost conscious completly. Drifting away into a drugged, dreamless sleep.

The soldiers discussed it for some moments and then decided that they would fire a shot along the side of his head. So that the wound would be partly hidden under his hair. That would make it harder to see any sort of soot or remnants of gunpowder. The officer put the gun against the side of Tatsumi's head. His hand sure and steady from years of training.

He took a deep breath and put his finger on the trigger. He was about to fire when he heard how the door to the hall opened behind him. Slowly and silently.

He heard how his two subordinates gasped in unison. He turned around to see what was going on.

In the middle of the now open doorway stood Esdeath. Holding a hand on one of the doors. Staring at them. Her figure and long hair filling the frame of the door.

She looked slightly shocked. Her expression was completly neutral with the exception of her widened eyes. They quickly moved to Incursio. Which was lying on the floor a couple of meters from them. Then they returned to the three soldiers who were standing around Tatsumi. One of them pointing a gun at his head.

The room was completly silent for three seconds.

Then she started to walk towards them. Her eyes locked upon the officer with the rifle. Ready to call upon her teigu's power if the finger on the trigger moved the slightest.

None of the three soldier moved. All stared at the approaching general.

The officer thoughts moved with lightning speed. Between the three of them, he was the one who had been in Esdeath's service for the longest time. His thoughts traveled to his memories of her campaigns in the north. Then to what had happened after those battles and then his thoughts traveled to what he had seen down in the torture chambers.

He took a decision. He lifted his gun from Tatsumi. He put the pipe of his weapon under his chin and fired.

The silence was broken by the gunshot and then the screams of the now dead officer's subordinates. They got a small shower of blood and brain matter as the back of the officers head erupted with the blast. Right in front of them. The two men both reacted in diffrent ways.

"You damn idiot!" the braver one of the two screamed and bolted for the door. He did not get halway there before a long and thin piece of ice pierced his ankle. Appearing right in front of him. The ice drove through his leg and then into the floor. Pinning the soldier there, who immediately fell over.

The other soldier whimpered in despair and fell down on his knees at the sight of his dead superior. The body of the officer lying less than a meter in front of him. He knew why the man had shoot himself. He knew what he had tried to escape from. He knew since he himself had worked as an assistant in the torture chamber for two years. One single thought came into his mind: _I must not let her take me alive._

He reached over and tried to grab the rifle that now lay beside the dead officer's body. But as soon as he grabbed it, a piece of ice flew into the weapon. Smashing it to splinters. The soldier screamed a shrill scream and crawled away from Esdeath as fast as he could.

Esdeath herself were completly unfazed by all of this. When the officer had put his gun under his chin she had figured what was going to happen and her eyes had shifted to Tatsumi and had stayed on him since then. _His chest was way too still._

"Tatsumi!" she called out in a gentle voice as she crouched down beside him. She turned him around and lifted his upper body a bit. Leaning it against one of her knees. His eyes was closed and he didn't respond.

Her arm that was not holding the back of his neck immediately snaked it's way in under his shirt. She put her hand on his chest. She could feel that he was still alive. But his heartbeats were horribly slow. And his breathing was extremly weak.

_He is fading away!_, Esdeath thought. She bared her teeth. A rage-filled expression forming on her face. _I will not allow this to happen!_

Her hands quickly and deftly started to explore his entire body. Slithering around under his shirt and then into his pants and briefs. Applying light pressure all the time. Trying to find the wound that was killing him. After less than ten seconds, she had examined his entire body. She couldn't find any life-threatening wounds or signs of internal bleeding. She looked at him. Her mind raced in ice cold analysis. She got a premonition.

She put a hand on his chin and opened his mouth. She placed her nose against it and took a deep sniff. Drawing his breath into her. It was mostly just the usual smell of his metabolism. A smell that she knew very well. But there was something else there as well. A small tinge of something unnatural. Something more chemically smelling.

_Poison!_, she concluded. She looked at Incursio. If she could get Tatsumi to activate it then it would help him handle the poison. But she had no way of making that happen.

She shifted her gaze to the one soldiers that had now crawled up into one of the corners of the room. She let all her all her murderous intent, anger and rage flow out of her. Filling the room with the force of it. Making the soldier shake and cry.

"What have you put in him?" she asked in her most authoritive and angry voice.

"NO!NO!" was the only thing the soldier screamed in response. Pushing himself into the wall as he tried to get further away from her.

"IT'S JUST SOME PARALYZING POWDER" the other soldier screamed in panic. Holding the one of his legs that was nailed to the floor. "HE WILL GET THE CONTROL OF HIS BODY BACK IN A DAY OR TWO!"

Esdeath's gaze turned to him. He immediately lowered his voice. "We didn't plan to kill him. I swear."

"Do you honestly want me to believe that?"

"He was the one who killed Bellany!"

"Do you have any proof?" Esdeath asked as her gaze drilled into him. Holding Tatsumi's limp form close to her body with one of her arms.

The soldier didn't answer. Grimacing as he looked down at his damaged leg. The other soldier's sobbing was the only thing that could be heard. He was still laying in the corner of the hall. "She must not take us alive." he sobbed over and over again. He had peed himself.

Esdeath rose with Tatsumi in her arms."Even if you would have had proof, it would not have been your place to decide his punishment. Nor administer it. You have broken miliatry law. Your insubordination has cost you all the forebearance that being part of my forces would have given you."

She turned around and started to walk out of the room. Carrying Tatsumi in her arms.

"Please be reasonable general!" the soldier with the icicle through his leg screamed when she walked past him. "Don't kill us without letting us tell you what we know."

"You will be telling me everything you know." Esdeath said in a cold voice as she walked towards the door. Not even giving the soldier a glance. Her eyes were looking at the boy in her arms with compassionate concern. "And when I am done with you, you will be begging for me to kill you."

She walked out of the door. Outside laid the unconcious soldier that had been posted as a lookout. She kicked him into the training hall. She then looked at the soldier with the damaged leg one last time.

"I will be taking my time with your punishments." she said. Her face filled with controlled fury. Pillars of ice rose from the floor and sealed of the only way out of the training hall. Before the soldier had time to respond.

Esdeath immediately turned around and leaped away through the corridor at lightning speed. Heading for the closest medical clinic with Tatsumi in her arms.

* * *

><p><strong>Author's note:<strong>

**20 hours later than promised. I am slowly catching up to my deadlines. Haha.**

**Anyway, my plan to correct my release schedule have worked after a fashion. While I did not release two chapters last week, I was done with this one very early in this week. So hopefully I will be able to release two chapters this week. And then I will have turned it around so that I release chapters by the end of the weeks instead of the beginning of them.**

**This story is going to pick up the pace a bit in the coming chapters. **

**As always, thanks for reading. I hope you have enjoyed the ride so far. I sure have. And that is mostly due to you following/favoriting and reviewing/commenting. Thanks a lot. **

**Take care of each other and have a great day.**


	11. Internal struggle 2

**Badaboom! **

**The release schedule is back to normal.**

* * *

><p><strong>Internal struggle.(22)**

A group of people sat huddled around a fire in the middle of the night. Surrounded by forest and wilderness. They were mostly naked. One or two of them had a pelt or some fur over their backs but that was it. They communicated silently through words and sounds. A few of them were sleeping. Most were awake and watching the surroundings with scared faces.

As the night grew late they started to become less and less attentive and soon enough more than half of them were sleeping. And the other half were mostly just staring into the fire. That was when the predator choose to strike.

She flew right into the midst of them. Grabbing one head in each hand and forcing them into the fire as she landed. Screams and panic filled the group as the lean and naked body of the woman straightened up from the two bodies. Her long blue hair swaying in the wind. One young man tried to attack her from behind with a piece of wood but she turned around in the last second. Driving an elbow into his face. Crushing and dislodging his jaw as the hit sent him flying a couple of meter through the air.

And then everyone was running. Scattering away into the night in diffrent directions. Esdeath looked down at the dead people that were lying on the ground and then at those that were running away. She only needed one body. She picked the one she wanted and dashed away towards the one of the fleeing people she had decided upon.

As the sun was rising, Esdeath could be seen climbing a gargantuan tree. Jumping between branches while holding a broken body under one of her arms. When she was a couple of hundred meters from the ground she arrived at what she was heading for. A hole carved into the gigantic tree trunk. Her nest. She climbed into it.

She directly moved to a corner of the den. A pile of branches and leafes were lying on the floor. She moved up to it and dumped the dead body besides it. She then kneeled down and started to remove some of the branches. Slowly revealing a weak, damaged and naked Tatsumi. Hidden under the foliage. His eyes were closed. He barely had the strength to move.

He had a great wound in his side. Covered in herbs and leafs. Aiding the healing process. She went down and sniffed the wound a couple of times. Trying to detect any form of infection. She gently put her hand against the wound. Making Tatsumi whimper slightly. She went up and licked his face lightly in a reassuring motion. She then moved over and grabbed the body lying on the side of the foliage she was sitting on.

She grabbed the arm of the dead body and lifted it towards her. Then she leaned in and took a bite from the flesh on the arm. Tearing through skin,flesh and sinew with her teeth. Tearing it away from the arm. She chewed down on the contents of her mouth for some moments while looking at Tatsumi. She then bent down over him and put her mouth over his. Feeding him the minced meat in her mouth. A slight trail of blood escaped their exchange and trailed down his cheek.

Tatsumi barely had the strength to open his eyes. He could do little but accept whatever it was that he was being fed. Esdeath kept her mouth over his own until he swallowed her gift. She lifted her lips from his and licked up the blood on his cheek. She looked at him for some moments until his mouth opened slightly again. Attesting that it now was empty.

She then reached over and took another bite from the body she was still holding in her right hand. This process was repeated for a couple of minutes.

When Esdeath put her mouth over Tatsumi's for the fourteenth time, he moved his head to the side. She raised her head up a little and looked at him. Then she moved her mouth to his again. Following it to the side. But when she started to push their lips together, he moved his head to the other side. Resisting her attempt to feed him.

She raised herself up from him. She looked at him for some moments and then swallowed the contents of her mouth. Deciding that he was fed enough. She grabbed the body and dragged it towards the opening of the den. Intending to throw it out now that it had served it's purpose to her.

Tatsumi used all the strength he had and opened his eyes. Watching how Esdeath dragged the dead body behind her. Holding it by an arm that had most of it's flesh torn from it. Tatsumi eyes widened as he realized what Esdeath had made him feast on.

Mine's dead body.

Tatsumi woke from his dream with a sharp breath. Opening his eyes as fast as he could. Which was suprisingly slow. His entire body still feeling dull and weak. That was the first thing he noticed. He still had a really hard time to move. His body still partly numb.

The second thing was how bright it was. His eyes squinted as they adapted to the light. The third thing he noticed was that his head was lying down on something warm.

When his eyes adapted he saw a long,slender and naked leg in front of him. His head was resting against it's thigh. He knew who's leg it was. Considering where he was it was even easier to guess.

Tatsumi was lying down in fetal position under some covers in Esdeath's large bed. Only wearing his briefs. It was the middle of the day and light was streaming in through the windows.

Tatsumi's head was resting on Esdeath's thigh. She was sitting up with her back against the bed's headboard. She had a quilt wrapped over her shoulders but wore no other cloths.

There were folders and papers strewn around her on the bed. Diffrent orders and reports that she was working her way through. She was reading through a battle report at the moment. Holding it in her hand and having a pen in her other one. Not yet noticing that Tatsumi had regained his conscious since his head was turned away from her.

Tatsumi tried to reach out with one of his arms from under the covers. Trying to put it on the bed so that he could raise himself up. He quickly noticed how hard that was to do. His body felt so heavy that it took a lot of effort to just get his hand outside the sheets.

As soon as his hand came out from the sheets one of Esdeath's came down and grabbed it. Forcing it back in under the sheets. She shushed at him in a silent voice as her hand tucked his arm back into the covers. Not looking away from the paper she was reading.

He had started to move around a lot during the last twenty hours, as his body started to get the poison out of him. Even if his mind hadn't gotten out from the deep fog that the drug had placed on his mind. The medics had analyzed the paralyizing poison that Tatsumi had gotten into his system and decided that it was not life-threatening. They had then concluded that it was best to let his body rinse out the poison on it's own. Even if it might take a while.

So he had been resting in Esdeath's bed while his body fought against the poison. The medics had come by and done daily checkups on him to see that everything was going well. Carefully examining him. Their every move followed closely by Esdeath's watchful gaze.

But as he became better he had began to move around more. Even if he was still unconscious. When Esdeath had returned from a meeting the day prior, she had found him lying on the floor beside the bed. Sweating and tangled up in the sheets. So since then she had moved as much of her work as possible to the bed. So that she could watch over him so he didn't hurt himself in his drug induced "sleep".

After her hand had returned his arm to it's original resting place it moved up and started to slowly stroke his head. "Shhh" she cooed while she continued to read through the report she was holding in her hand.

"Esdeath." he tried to say but it came out weaker than he intended.

She looked down on him. He had murmured a lot during the three hours she had been sitting in the bed but that sounded a bit more focused.

With a lot of effort, Tatsumi managed to turn his head slightly and look up at her with one eye.

Her eyes widened slightly. A warm smile formed upon her face. "Hey there." she said with a silent and happy voice as she was looking down on him.

She put the report down on the bed and carefully lifted Tatsumi's head from her thigh as she shuffled down a bit, in under the covers. So that she was lying beside him. She looked deep into his eyes.

Ohh, how she had missed those beautiful green orbs. "How are you feeling?" she asked as she moved closer to him. Cupping his face with one hand as she intertwined their legs.

"Heavy." Tatsumi answered truthfully. "Heavy and slow. Both in the head and the body."

"My sweet little thing." she said as she moved even closer. Their noses were almost touching. He could feel her breath against his face as she murmured. "It's okay, Tatsumi. It's going to be fine. Your body is just recovering from the poison."

Tatsumi started to remember what had happened. He remebered how he had passed out soon after Isamu had left the training hall. What had happened? Had the soldiers managed to convince Esdeath of his guilt? Had Isamu actually managed to fool her that it had all been a duel? Tatsumi tried to reason around it but his head was just too slow and dull. It was an effort just to keep a concise thought.

"How long have I been out?" he asked weakly as Esdeath stared into his eyes from a close distance. Seemingly fascinated by seeing them again.

"Five days now."

Tatsumi's eyes widened slightly but that was the only reaction that got through his sluggish body.

"The doctors could have gotten your conscious back earlier with diffrent antidotes but this was apparently healthier. So I have waited for you.". She looked happy and almost content as she slowly stroked the side of his head.

Tatsumi felt confused. His mind moving much slower than usual.

"What happened?"

"When I found that you had escaped I hunted after you. I was following your track when I got a letter from someone anonymous that claimed that he would be fighting you in one of my army's training halls and asked me to come and watch."

Her arms reached around him and pressed their bodies together.

"When I arrived, I found that some soldiers from one of my own gun squadrons had poisoned you and was beating your unconscious body. It seemed like they were trying to kill you. Believing that you had killed Bellany."

"What happened?" Tatsumi repeated his previous question again.

"You don't have to worry about them anymore." she said in a caring and reassuring way while she snuggled against the side of his face. The caring tone at odds with the horrible insinuations. "I have dealt with all five of them personally"

_Five of_ them,Tatsumi thought. Still able to figure out what that meant. Despite his drugged state._ She only said "people from one of her gun squadrons". Then that means that Isamu is still out there somewhere._

"They were fully convinced that you had killed Bellany." she said as she put her face in front of his again. "But Bellany returned four days ago. She had apparently just fallen really sick during a nightly visit to a friend and had been unable to get home or alert anyone of the reasons for her absence."

"What?" Tatsumi said slowly. He did not understand. If Bellany had returned then his guilt should have almost been confirmed, right? Not of killing her ,of course ,but the fact that he had burned the archives should have been revealed by now.

"Bellany immediately made it clear that she didn't know any of the five soldiers that had poisoned you and that she had not even seen you during the night they claimed that she had been following you. It seems like the men from the gun squadron only wanted to frame you for something you hadn't done."

Tatsumi was very confused. He was sure that the five soldiers that Isamu had called over was Bellany's closest men. So why had she betrayed them? Even if she knew that Esdeath might kill them anyway she would still have tried to strengthen their case against him. Bellany had always been loyal to her allies.

But now she had completly abandoned them and not only that. She hadn't even talked about her and Tatsumi's fight in the archives. Tatsumi couldn't make sense of it. He tried to think harder about it but his head started to hurt when he did. He slowly reached up with a hand to grab his hurting head but when his left hand touched the side of his head he noticed that the hand was wrapped up in bandages.

He looked at his bandaged hand with a confused look. Esdeath very gently grabbed it in one of her own. "They damaged your adorable fingers pretty badly." she said and looked at his hand with a sad expression. "But don't worry. It will have healed soon enough, as well."

She looked up at him. A smile spreading across her face. "Do you want to know what I did to them for that?" she said in slightly more excited voice. A certain gleam filling her eyes. Trying to cheer him up in the same way she cheered herself up.

Tatsumi just looked at her in respons. Normally he would have declined.

In the beginning of their strange relationship, Tatsumi had thought that watching how Esdeath tortured the people he hated would be gratifying but he had quickly learned otherwise. Cause Esdeath didn't have the same limits as he had. She continued on with her punishments, horrible experiments and terrible games long after he had witnessed more amounts of suffering and misery than he could stomach. Turning what he thought would be sweet revenge into a bitter and sickening experience.

But this time he needed to listen. He needed to know if any of those that knew the truth were still able to talk. So he stayed silent as Esdeath proudly explained what she had done to them. In the end, it seemed like his worries were unnecessary. Esdeath herself had silenced those who had known the truth.

The man who had also gotten paralyzed by the powder was the one that had taken the most precision. Since she had found him paralyzed she had decided that it would be a fitting state for him to continue his existence in. So through extremly precise hits to his spine, she had bereft him of the ability to move his body. Turning him into a paralytic for the rest of his life. She had then destroyed his eyes and ears. Leaving him unable to move, hear or scream. Then she had covered his entire body with deep cuts and then covered those cuts in diffrent kinds of poisons. Making sure that his wounds would always hurt him and never fully heal.

After that she had left him with a medical team ordered to keep him alive for as long as possible but not permitted to use any anesthetics. He would grow to become old and withered but all he would ever know was pain. Unable to even scream.

That had been more experimental then her usual torture sessions. A symbolic repayment for momentarily paralyzing Tatsumi. The man who had gotten an icicle through his foot had been a simpler process. She wanted him to be an example so she made that into a more flashy demise.

She had simply amputated his hands and feet as efficently and medically as she could. Ensuring that he would survive. She had then put him in a cell and starved him until she became unsure if he would survive any longer. Then she had brought down some of the better chefs that the palace could offer and told them to make the best stew they could for the prisoner. Based on his hands and feet.

She had then brought him to a public display and made sure that everyone in the audience knew why he was there and what the stew actually was made from. Then she fed the unknowing man his own flesh in front of the audience with an amused expression on her face. Watching with delight as the hardened audience was stricken with disgust and revulsion as the starved man slobbered down the stew she was slowly giving to him. Since he himself lacked hands.

She had only told him what the stew was several hours later. When it was far too late to try and regurgitate it back up. That had been a punishment for breaking Tatsumi's nails and fingers. Finally, she had torn out his lying tongue and attached small wooden feets to his arms and legs. After that she had given him to the kennel master of the noblemens hunting parties. Giving him an official order to keep and treat the man as another one of the dogs. So that the noblemen would have to see him each time they would go out hunting.

She had reasoned that that would be a sufficient signal that they should stay away from Tatsumi. She had also found it amusing that the man had been forced into the lowest rang of the hierarchy among the dogs.

She had intended to extract some symbolic punishment for framing Tatsumi on the soldier that had screamed and soiled himself but he had actually slit his wrists on some of the broken gun parts right after she left the training hall with Tatsumi.

The lookout had done nothing but watch for her arrival. So she made him watch closely as she punished his friends. When it finally became his turn he had already fallen into a shock-induced coma. Not reacting to anything in the slightest. Making Esdeath lose interest quickly. She simply had him crucified on the road in towards the capital.

When she had explained everything about their punishments and her methods to Tatsumi she looked at him. Trying to see if that had managed to cheer him up a bit.

Tatsumi mainly felt relief. It seemed like he was in the clear again. He just needed to figure out what had happened to Bellany. Esdeath herself had saved him the trouble of silencing the anonymous source herself. Destroying their chance to reveal Tatsumi's true colors along with their lives. He couldn't help but chuckle bitterly at the irony of that horrible situation.

Esdeath's expression grew even happier. Thinking that she had managed to make her boy happy.

She leaned in and started to kiss him. Slowly forcing her tongue into his mouth. Pressing their bodies together again.

Tatsumi could tell that she wanted more from him than just hugs and kisses right now. She was being unusually gentle and tender with him for the moment but he was able to detect the signs. Even though it was passive, her arms were applying more and more pressure on his back at a slow pace. Her fingers were gently caressing him in smooth motions but he couldn't help but notice that she let her nails scrape his skin at the end of each movement.

She moved her mouth a little bit away from his and looked at him. Her gaze was all the confirmation that he needed. It was a loving and gentle expression but Tatsumi could see that there was a hunger hidden behind it.

She was starting to lean into him rather strongly now. Her breast pressing against him. He would soon fall over on his back and she would be on top of him. He knew that she intended for that to happen. She wanted to take him. Unscrupulously and firmly. A part of him also wanted that to happen. He knew ,however ,that his current state made him unable to walk down that road. It would only lead to disappointment for them both.

He put his forehead down on her shoulder. "I'm sorry, Esdeath. I can't play with you right now." he murmured. "I'm simply too weak."

Esdeath halted her steady advancement. She had run over his excuses and protests in this kind of scenarios many times before. She would not do it this time,though. Because she knew that he was telling the truth. Even though she had hoped that it was not so. But she could feel it. She felt it in how his muscles responded to her arms and hands. She could feel it in his heartbeats that she felt through her chest. She could feel it in how shaky and weak his breaths were against her shoulder. And she felt the shame in his voice.

He had tried to stop her from taking him many times before. Sometimes even resisting rather strongly. But he had never been ashamed because he couldn't keep up with her.

She hated this. This was not how he was supposed to be! She had never cared about the fact that Tatsumi was not as powerful as her but this was simply unacceptable to her. His great potential was mudded by the damn poison. His beautiful strength was just a shell of what it had once been. All his greatness was besmirched and faded. For the moment, he was truly weak.

Her partner. Her mate.

She cursed herself again for letting this happen.

"My dear,sweet, little Tatsumi." she said in a genuinly sad voice and rubbed her right cheek against the top of his head. Choosing to deny the lustful hunger inside of her.

She tilted her body backwards while keeping her arms around him. So that he was leaning into her instead of vice versa. She pushed his face down into her chest. "It's okay. Just rest here. Leave everything to me. I will take care of everything for you. You just rest and let your body regain it's strength." she murmured to him in sweet voice.

Tatsumi was feeling how he was slipping back into sleep already. His body was really weak and tired. Even if ha had just been lying in the bed for five days. But he wanted to do so some damage control before he fell asleep again.

"Esdeath."

"Shhhh" she cooed.

"I'm sorry that I ran away from you." he lied. Even if things hadn't turned out as planned he had still been able to solve some of his problems. With her unknowing help.

"Don't think about that now. We will resolve that when your strength have returned.", she whispered and started to stroke his head with a hand.

He had fallen asleep in less than a minute. She liked his sleeping much better now. Now it felt like he was actually resting. Not figthing against poison in a drug-induced haze. She kept holding him and stroking his head for forty minutes after he had fallen asleep.

"I will give you a proper lesson when you have recovered completly." she whispered into his hair."I will teach you to behave again."

She kissed his head and slowly rose up to her sitting position again. Putting his head on it's original resting place against her thigh.

She took up her report and started to read through it again. Trying to direct her anger over Tatsumi's reduced condition at something. After a while her thoughts settled upon the great general Budo. The highest ranked army official that still openly mocked and denounced Tatsumi. Her urge to the destroy the man grew even further as she sat there and nurtured her anger. She couldn't wait for the day when she would finally get to kill him.

And then, when she was great general, she would make sure that there was not a single soul in the entire empire that didn't know what it meant to hurt Tatsumi.

* * *

><p>"You know, for being the leader of an organization called the Path of Peace, you sure choose a rather morbid headdress." Makeias said with a smile. Looking at the other man.<p>

The man was almost as tall as him and had long white hair. He was wearing long flowing robes and a huge animal skull over his head as a helmet. He carried a staff in his right hand.

They were standing in an underground room. Lit up by torches on the walls. Except from the two of them the room was filled with about ten people. The two tallest men in the room were Makeias guards, who were standing behind him. While they were really slender with really thin limbs, they towered almost a meter over everyone else. The other eight persons were standing behind the man with the long white hair and the skull over his head. His followers, counsellors and guards.

"Death is a natural part of life." the man answered with a kind voice. "It is important that we accept that in order to find peace in our daily lives."

"I can see where you are coming from but there is such a thing as fear by association." Makeias said and scratched the back of his head. "I think most people that see you will think that you are a part of some sort of death cult.

"No matter what I wear, people will draw diffrent messages from it. That is not important. What is important is that we talk and communicate with each other." the other man continued in the same friendly voice." Besides, it's tradition."

"Very well, let us begin this exchange then. Have you brought your part of bargain? Not to seem inconsiderate but I would like to make this quick. The longer I stay here the bigger the risk is that someone discovers that this meeting is taking place."

The big animal skull nodded. The man wearing it signaled to the people behind him and one of them brought forth a small chest.

"It was not easy to come by. I had to go through great effort to make sure that no one noticed that we stole this from the revolutionary armies secret armoury. So I hope that you have brought the promised exchange."

"Of course." Makeias said and brought forth a paper folder from under his coat. Holding it out to the other man.

The other group of people tensed. "What is the meaning of this, general?" the leader of the Path of Peace asked. Still in a calm voice. "You promised that you would give us the leaders of our organization back if we brought you this teigu." he said and gestured to the box.

"And I have. After a sense." Makeias answered. "You see, the whereabouts of the prisoners you wanted in exchange have been kept rather secret within the empire. Since the leaders of the empire have been very aware that keeping them as hostages was the only thing preventing you from giving further support to the revoloutionary army."

"And these papers are?" the other man said with uncertainty and took the folder from Makeias.

"The best way to protect something can often be to hide it away." He nodded to the folder."Those papers will show you where you can find all your leaders. Most of them are actually just hidden in small unguarded villages around the empire. Locked up in basements and cottages on the country side. Most of them only guarded by two or three soldiers in civilian cloths."

The other man opened the folder and started to look through it.

"I was quite suprised myself."Makeias admitted with a smile."It seems that some of the higher ups in the empire dosen't trust that the Path of Peace doesn't have any followers among the prison guards."

The other man closed the folder."Well then. Thank you for upholding your part."

One of the followers of the man stepped forward."Wait a moment, my lord. How do we know that we are not just being fooled here. This is not what the original deal was." he said and looked at Makeias.

"How rude." Makeias said and shrugged with a smile."I also went through a big risk in order to steal that information. I literally saved it out of a fire as well.

"That doesn't mean tha-" the follower started but was interrupted as his leader raised his hand in front of him.

"Do not worry, my friend. I have a feeling that the imperial general is telling the truth. Right now at least." He turned to his follower. "Trust in me in this as you have trusted me before." he said gently and handed the man the folder. He then signaled for the men behind him to give Makeias the box.

"You're not half as stupid as you seem." Makeias said. "Or maybe you just have good instincts." he said and took the small chest. It didn't weigh much and was small enough for him to carry it under one arm.

"The latter would probably be more correct, general." the skull wearing man answered in the same calm voice. "With this are buisness is done, Makeias." he said and started to turn.

"Not quite."

Those two single words made the other group tense up again.

Makeias reached inside his coat once again and brought out a sealed letter. He gave it to the leader of the other group.

"What is this?"

"Let's call it a buisness proposal. Open it when you are safe and alone."

"Would you care to explain a bit more,general?" ,the lord of the Path of Peace asked in a friendly tone.

"The details are written in there." he said with a gesture towards the letter. "But basically I want you to start propagating for me amongst your followers."

"We are still intending to support the revoloutionary army as soon as our leaders have been returned safely."

"The revoloutionary army is broken. The movements days are numbered. It is a shell of what it once was and it's military power has been reduced so low that the empire doesn't even deem it necessary to dedicate any modest forces to dealing with it. They are non-threat. Held together by the potential of a few remaining teigu users that grow fewer every day."

Makeias started to turn and gave the other man a grim look. His smile gone for a few moments."You rejoining them will not change that fact. Just create more bodies."

"That still doesn't mean that we can support the imperial court as it is."

Makeias smile returned."I said that I wanted you to support me. Not the empire." He started to walk out of the room. His guards following him."Contact me through the usual method if you are interested. That offer will remain whatever else may happen."

The leader of the Path of Peace looked at the letter and then put in one of his pockets.

Makeias walked out of the room and into the next one. It was filled with his soldiers. Waiting for him to return from the secret meeting.

"Everything worked out as planned. Prepare to move out." he ordered in a loud voice.

Everyone in the room started to move out. Packing up stuff and putting on outdoor clothes. Makeias walked across the room to a corner where the one person he was seeking was standing.

It was a small girl. Barely reaching him to the hips. She wore something that looked like a brown bag with holes in it for her arms and head. With the bottom of it cut off for her legs. Her slender arms and legs were dusty and dirty. She had golden hair that almost reached down to her ankles and dark brown eyes that seemed to be brimming with fury at all time.

She held her hands closed at her sides and glared at Makieas as he approached her. He crouched down in front of her. "Hello there, Liza. You seem peachy today." he said with a ridiculing smile.

She slapped him across the face. The movement was lightning fast but Makeias head didn't move an inch from the impact.

"Now, now." he said calmly. Seemingly unfazed."I have a task for you." he said and took forth the chest from under his arm. He held it in front of her.

"I want you to take this to my army's main base to the west of the capital, as fast as you can. There I want you to give it to the man who is taking care of your brother, okay?"

She glared at him for some moments and then ripped the chest from his hands.

"Thank you." he said and smiled. He put a hand on her head and leaned in a bit closer."You are now holding the key to achieving my plan. So don't slip." he whispered to her.

The little girl smiled a cruel smile at him.

"I know." he said and returned the smile "Your brother will be delighted to know that your part in this will soon be over."

She started to walk around him. Makeias straigthened up without without turning around. "If you lose that chest it will never be." he said without looking at her.

She stopped for a few seconds and then darted off. Sending the few of his guards that were not able to get out of the way flying some meters up in the air.

Makeias sighed. "Troublesome child." he said and started walking towards the next room. Starting to move out from the underground meeting place they were in.

His two guards fell in line behind him.

_Now I will only have to wait. ,_Makeias thought. _Liza will bring the teigu to my second-in-command and then the team he has assembled will start searching for someone compatible with it. _

Makieas smiled to himself as he walked into the next room. Not noticing the small movement above him as Akame dislodged herself from the ceiling. Falling down towards the imperial general without making a sound. Murasame drawn in her right hand.

* * *

><p>When Tatsumi woke up for the second time, the sun had settled a little bit. Judging from the sunlight coming in through the windows it seemed to be late afternoon.<p>

The first thing he noticed was that Esdeath was not in the bed anymore. He slowly rose up but it was almost hard to do. After a lot of effort he managed to get into sitting position. Resting his back against the bed's headboard. He felt stronger but not much.

He felt himself jump a bit as he realized that he wasn't alone in the room. Kurome was sitting on a chair at the end of the bed.

_Damn, _Tatsumi thought._ Why is her presence always so hard to detect?_

They seemed to be alone in the big room. She was holding a small book in one of her hands. Holding a finger in it to mark where she was. She was staring at him with an empty expression.

"Kurome, I would really have appreciated if you had let me know that you were here when you saw that I was waking up.", Tatsumi said in a tired voice as he settled down.

"You have been moving around a lot while you were asleep so I was unsure if you were awake or not." she said in a silent voice. Keeping her empty expression.

"Have you ever seen somebody sleep with open eyes, then?" he said and tried to rubb the sleepiness from his eyes.

She simply nodded.

"That was meant as a rhetorical question." he said with a smile. He stretched his arms over his head. He was reminded of the state of his left hand when it touched his other one. Sending a sharp pain through it.

He held his bandaged hand in front of his face. Trying to slowly bend the fingers of it. It hurt like hell. Especially the fingertops. He looked at it for some moments. He wanted to know how bad it was. He started to unravel the bandage with his other hand.

"Don't" Kurome said and took a hold of the hand that was undoing the bandages. He had not noticed when she got so close. He choose to blame it on how concealed she kept her presence by default. Not wanting to admit that his perceptive instincts were basically nonexistent at the moment.

"The doctors looked at it an hour ago." Kurome said silently. "They said it will be fine."

For some moments Tatsumi considered trying anyway but decided that she was probably right. He didn't really know what he would gain by seeing his destroyed hand. He looked at her.

"How bad did it look?" he asked.

"You don't have to worry. I am almost certain that all five fingers were still attached. Mostly." she said. Trying to sound reassuring but failing miserably.

Tatsumi paled a little bit. "Maybe I need to look after all." he said and started to tuck at the bandages again.

"No." Kurome said and grabbed his hand again. She reached over to one of the nightstands and took a bowl that was standing there. She pushed it into his hands. "Eat." she said in a determined voice.

Tatsumi looked down at the bowl. It contained some sort of gruel with some vegetables in it and a wooden spoon."I really don't have an appetite right now, you kno-"

"I was ordered to make you eat that when you woke up." Kurome said. Looking dead serious.

"So what," Tatsumi said in a joking tone."are you gone force feed me if I refuse to eat it?" he joked.

Kurome looked at him for some moments. Then she put a knee on the bed. Starting to climb up on it.

"Ok, ok."Tatsumi said. Grabbing the spoon."It was just a joke ,Kurome."

Kurome climbed down again. Walking over to her chair again. "So was what I said about your fingers."she said silently.

_Then don't be so monotone in how you present it_,Tatsumi thought as he started to eat. He had forgotten how hard it could be to read Kurome at times. Yet he was unwilling to let the atmosphere turn sour. He knew that Kurome would always remain as his ally if he just handled her correctly.

"So, Kurome, why are you stationed here?" he asked. Trying to get a discussion going as he ate the somewhat cold gruel."Couldn't any of the attendants just have told me to eat this when I woke up?"

"The commander no longer trust any attendants enough to let them into this room while you are weakened." Kurome said and picked up the book she had left on the chair. "Not even the new ones."

_And it was her normal footsoldiers that put me in this state, so that explains why she didn't trust any of her regular warriors with this task _,Tatsumi thought. That was good though. The lesser Esdeath trusted her subordinates, the faster things would start to crumble when the plan entered it's final stage.

"Wait a minute." Tatsumi said as the second sentence Kurome had said finally sank in. "What do you mean with "new attendants"?"

"I don't know. I asked where I could find some water but they all excused themselves and said that they only had worked her for a day or so."

Tatsumi got a horrible premonition. He had not been able to move his own secret helper away from Esdeath's service before he was paralyzed. Was Esdeath now searching through the old attendants to find who had set him free. It was exactly that kind of scenario that he had promised his hidden ally that he would help her avoid.

"What happened to the old attendants?" he asked. Trying to sound as nonchalant as he could.

Kurome just shrugged as she started to read her book again.

Tatsumi got a feeling that whatever had happened to the attendants was not good. He needed to get out of here and learn what had happened to them. He needed to know if there was something he could still do for them. If he had been unable to obstruct or distract Esdeath for almost a week, then god knows what she might have done to the attendants.

Tatsumi froze in his train of thought. He had forgotten one thing in the drug hampered condition of his mind.

Leone.

He had postponed that problem since he figured that he could keep Esdeath occupied until he could find a solution to it. But now he had been lying in this bed for five days. Esdeath would have had all the free time she needed to go down and start playing with Leone in her horrible ways.

Kurome's eyes returned to Tatsumi from her book again. She noticed that he had tensed up.

Tatsumi was trying to analyse the situation. He had to assume the worst now. Five days. Five long days. In the worst case scenario, Esdeath had already broken and killed Leone. Or Esdeath might have kept her alive but broken her completly. Intending to make her into a pet. But if that was the case then her death was not far off. Such a high-profile enemy of the empire couldn't been allowed to live for too long. Even if it was for humiliation purposes.

He needed to get up. He needed to know what was going on.

He put down the bowl and started to move to the side of the bed. He still felt so heavy. He was already tired when he was about to move his legs out of the bed. It was only when he was about to put his legs down on the floor that he noticed that Kurome was standing in front of him. He looked up at her.

"The commander ordered me to not let you out of the bed until you have recovered all of your strength, Tatsumi."

_So that is why you are here_, Tatsumi thought. _Esdeath figured that I might be able to convince Wave to let me leave. But you, you put far too much weight on orders._

"I just need to stretch my legs for a bit." he said with a smile. Figuring that he at least need to try.

She shooked her head at him.

"Kurome, I have been out for days. At least let me go say hi to some of my friends so they don't think I'm dead."

"If you want to send a message to someone, I can call one of the attendants over to deliver it." Kurome said. Trying to be tactful.

"So, are you going to force me to stay here."

She nodded energetically. "The commander said that if you had regained your full strength, I would not be able to stop you either way. Since I can't use any lethal means." she said. Trying to explain to Tatsumi that he would be able to leave as soon as he was well again.

"If I had Incursio, yeah." he sighed. "Fine , I give up. Curse you for exploiting my momentary weakness." he said and started to move back into the center of the huge bed. A task that required much more effort than he was proud of.

Kurome watched him struggle to get back into the bed with well concealed pity.

Tatsumi recognized that he might as well rest some more. Even if he found out what the situation was he wouldn't be able to do much about it in this state. And the hard truth of the matter was that he simply didn't have the energy to escape Kurome right now. He didn't have a choice.

He considered sending an attendant away with a letter with a hidden messages but it was those kind of connections that could be traced if somebody started asking everyone of who he had been in contact with. He better just play it cool right now.

"By the way, Kurome, do you know what has happened to Incursio?" he asked as he was getting back to his original resting place.

"The commander has taken care of your teigu personally this time. Only she knows where it is."

"Figured as much." Tatsumi said as he started to slide in under the covers. He suddenly noticed that a single small piece of candy was lying on the bed beside him. In the place he had just crawled back from. He looked at Kurome but she was back in her chair. Reading her book.

Even with how stressed he was, he couldn't help but smile a little. He knew that the small gesture had a lot of meaning behind it.

"Thanks." he said silently and took the candy.

"Go to sleep." Kurome said in an empty voice.

"That seems to be the only thing people tell me to do today." Tatsumi said and turned over.

* * *

><p>"STOP HER!" Makeias roared as he kicked through yet another door. Sending it flying into the room he was entering. Every imperial soldier in the room turned to him as he raced through it. Already heading for the next room. "DID YOU NOT HEAR ME?! DON'T LET HER PASS!" he boomed as he kicked his way through the doors into the next room. The same second he left the room, Akame entered it from the room he had been running from.<p>

Makeias raced through the underground tunnels. Running towards the surface as fast as he could.

It was a small miracle that he was still alive. It was only thanks to the dedication and insane instincts of his two guards that he was still alive. The giant men had somehow been able to detect Akame's attack just before she striked. Pushing Makeias out of the way from the cut that would have killed him. They had both payed with their lives in order to save his. The members of their small tribe growing even fewer.

Makeias cursed under his breath and swore to himself that he would fulfill the promises he had made to their people. If he survived this. He rushed through a long corridor. He couldn't even hear the sound of battle behind him and that worried him even more.

Had the Path of Peace betrayed him? He didn't think so. Their leader seemed to be way to honest for that kind of underhanded tactics. And then they wouldn't have let him send Liza away with the teigu. Now they would never be able to get it back. It seemed more likely to him that some parts of the revoloutionary army had noticed that the Path of Peace had stolen the teigu and had sent night raid to shadow them. Either way, this was a really bad situation.

The crimsoned eyed killer, Akame of the night raid. She was wearing a gas mask but Makeias had recognized her red eyes and black hair from the wanted-posters immediately. And then he had fled as fast as he could. Throwing every soldier with him in her way in order to buy some time.

Akame was the worst possible match-up for him and he was well aware of it. Unlike his fellow generals, Makeias relied on the natural defenses of his teigu in combat. Budo had amazing agility and his teigu acted as an body armor as well. Esdeath had her astounding reflexes and monstrous strength, which made her able to avoid or block any attack. But Makeias defensive abilities were a bit diffrent.

His teigu didn't make him tougher or give him any regenerative abilities. But it did give him an insane level of endurance. His body could receive the most horrible injuries and still move as if nothing had happened. Held together by the infection his teigu constantly pumped into it. It didn't help his body heal the injuries or lessen the damage the attacks caused. The teigu just kept him going. Makeias knew that it would require something akin to decapitation to make him lose control of his body parts. And even then he was unsure of how his teigu would react to the situation.

His teigu gave him a superb ability to survive. Though in what condition was another question. He had killed some of the best warriors the western nations had to offer, simply because they had made the mistake of believing that shoving a spear through his chest or slitting his throat would make him slow down.

And none of it made a bit of diffrence against Akame.

The ability of her teigu was well known within the imperial military. Among all the members of night raid and the revoloutionary army, Akame's profile was the most fleshed out.

So Makeias knew that just a single little cut, just a single little grace of her blade, would mean his end. His teigu's defensive abilities meant nothing here. With the exception of Esdeath's abilities to freeze him, there was not a single teigu that posed such a big threat to him as the one-cut killer: Murasame.

He kicked in a last set of doors and flew out of the underground tunnels. Met by a blue and sunny sky. A grassy field spreading out in front of him. Outlined by a conifreous forest. A group of soldiers and attendants stood waiting for him.

"Go and ready the horses!" he roared. "Leave everything that can be left behind and start moving out as soon as you are ready. I will catch up to you."

The men stared at him for a moment and then began running away over the field. Makeias turned around and looked at the tunnel he had emerged from.

The entrance to the underground tunnel network was disguised as an old abandoned mine. Seemingly sealed off from the public. It was the Path of Peace that had suggested this meeting place and he had accepted it. Thinking that it didn't matter since he was holding the bigger gun anyway, so to speak.

The fact that Akame was wearing a gas mask meant that she knew a bit about the capabilities of his teigu. He would not been able to kill her by poisning the air she breathed. Close combat didn't seem like a good alternativ either. He was pretty confident in his proficiency with his weapon but he had a feeling that Akame had been trained to be able to inflict small and almost unblockable cuts. Makeias had never been the fastest of fighters.

He smiled. _Once again my wits is the only thing standing between me and the grim reaper_, he thought. _But I have way to many promises to fulfill to die here._

He took a deep breath. Calling upon the power of his teigu. Feeding it a part of his life in return for it's power. He opened his mouth and black smoke spewed out of it. He bent over and directed the stream down on the ground where it spread and rose up into the air. Creating a cloud around him.

Ten seconds later, Akame emerged from the tunnel. Jumping out from the darkness in a quick leap. Landing in a crouched stance. Holding her weapon in her right hand. She was met by a huge cloud of thick black smoke. Growing in the middle of the field in front of her. Almost rising as high as the trees that surrounded the field.

"Akame of the night raid, eh? A pleasure to make your acquaintance." a gurgling voice voice called out from the smoke. Makeias walked out of cloud, wearing a smile filled with anger. Akame immediately noticed that the imperial general didn't look like he had done down in the tunnels. He was much paler now. The dark rings under his eyes had gotten even darker. He almost looked like a corpse.

His mouth and teeths were black. A tar like substance trailing down from his lips in long streaks. Dripping down on the ground from his jaw. The clohths on his chest had also been colored black by the same substance. It looked like the dark liquid was emerging from his mid section and then streamed down his stomach and crotch. Dripping down on the ground.

Akame noticed how the grass that was touched by the thick liquid quickly withered.

"You know," the general said in a voice that sounded like a gurgle."if you are carrying a gas mask over your face, you should at least have a mask that covers up your eyes as well. If I hadn't been able to see your eyes, I wouldn't been able to tell who you are. And I would have tried to engage you down in the tunnels. Which probably would had lead to my death."

Akame rose to a standing position. Taking hold of her blade with both her hands. Preparing to attack.

"What happened to the men down in the tunnels?" the general asked.

Akame simply raised her sword in respons.

Makeias smile faded a little."Know that they were good men. They will be missed by their families and friends." Makeias gurgling voice sounded tired and angry. "It seems that behind all of night raid's pretty words and ideals your just another bunch of murderers. Just like me and my kind."

Akame was about to attack when her two attendants emerged from the forest on their left side. Two young girls carrying two swords that looked like Akame's. Designed so that she could teach them her own fighting style.

One of the girls had brown eyes and long brown hair. The other had short blonde hair and blue eyes. Even though they were much younger than Akame, they were highly trained assassins from the revoloutionary army. Given to her so that she could train them and so that they could help her with smaller tasks.

"We have killed all the ones that came running for the horses!" the brown haired girl called out. "We are goi-"

She halted herself mid-sentence when she saw the terrifying appearance of the imperial general.

Makeias turned his eyes to them."Damn, they grow younger every day." he said. His smile growing even wider. _That was a mistake, Assassin_, he thought.

Akame launched herself at Makeias. Attacking the general while he was looking at the other two girls.

Makeias reacted to her attack by jumping backwards. Into the cloud of smoke that was behind him. Akame immediately followed. She had already figured out what the general was trying to do. He knew that she was wearing a gas mask so this cloud was mainly meant to rob her of her sight. But that was his mistake. Akame was well trained to fight without vision. Her ability to detect the presence of an attacker was superb. The general would lose this battle because of his assumption that taking her sight away would slow her down.

Akame closed her eyes the moment before she entered the cloud. Putting her full focus on her other perceptive instincts.

She kept moving forward until she thought she was in the middle of the cloud. Then she stopped and raised her weapon in front of her. Waiting for the general to attack her. Prepared to cut him down as soon as he approached her.

But the attack didn't come.

Five seconds passed. Then ten. Then fifteen. Then thirty. When forty seconds had passed, Akame started to analyse the situation. Why wasn't he attacking? This was supposed to be his counter attack,right? After running up to the surface the general had finally choose to fight her. Thinking that the smoke would aid him.

A question hit Akame. What had changed? Why had he chosen to fight her here instead of facing her in the tunnels?

Suddenly Akame realized what was going on. Nothing had changed. Makeias was still just trying to get away from her. This was a diversion to buy time. And now he had found a way to ensure his escape.

"Yoshiko! Rio!" she shouted. Calling out to her subordinates. When she didn't get any response she dashed off towards the place where they had been standing when she jumped into the smoke cloud. Realizing where the imperial general had gone.

* * *

><p><strong>Author's note:<strong>

**This chapter grew a bit larger than I had intended. I had actually intended to have the story's second lemon in this chapter but I couldn't make room for it. So the next chapter will start with it. Which will be a bit strange. But I will choose to think about it as if people were reading this entire story in a single sweep. **

**Speaking of that, it hit me that Bent but not Broken will almost be 100 000 words long now. 100 000! That is almost almost 200 A4 pages. 200!**

**I'am worried that this story will seem impossible to get through for new readers. There is something to be said for brevity when it comes to attracting readers. But that is not my forte and probably never will be. So we will trudge on.**

**Not to sound dissatisfied. If you go back to earlier chapters, I have written that I was amazed that just 50 people was following this story. Now that almost 160 people follows it I couldn't be more happy.**

**So thanks for reading and following this story. I hope that you have enjoyed it. The next one will be posted in 6-7 days.**

**Take care of each other.**


End file.
